Don't Blink
by HarvestGirl10
Summary: A story that takes place at the very beginning of Gloria and Hop's journey. A story seen by the pokemon Xatu, who sees their past and future, all at once.
1. The Present

A/N: I just love Postwickshipping alot, okay?

* * *

Pokedex Entry: Xatu

They say that it stays still and quiet because it is seeing both the past and future at the same time. Legend says if a Xatu smiles its target will have a wonderful life in store.

* * *

When the two young trainers stepped out into the Wild Area for the first time their eyes went wide. To say it was a sight to behold was an understatement. Layers of green pasture unlike anything found in Postwick stretched out before them, expanding and tumbling into a variety of sceneries of rocky vestures and hooded forests.

Hop even swore to Gloria back on the train that some areas are footed with snow and dusted with sand in the next. Although, Gloria had to snicker, she just had to see it for herself to believe something so absurd.

"Alright!" Hop pumped his fists in excitement, "I finally made it, Gloria! Time to build up the strongest team the Galar region has ever seen!"

Trailing along their feet, Hop's Grookey equally shared its owner's excitement as it scampered up Hop's legs and onto his shoulder- waving his little branch proudly in the air. Her own starter, Scorbunny, must have shared the same excitement as it happily raced in figure 8s around the two, slight scorches flickering upon its tiny feet.

Gloria smiled at the sight.

They finally made it, didn't they? Seems like yesterday her and Hop were just kids chasing Wooloo around in the grass…but now here they are. Pokemon trainers with their own pokemon, their own team, their own dreams. Who knew this day would finally come? More importantly, who knew where this day would lead them?

The young trainer couldn't help but feel a small feeling of nostalgia hit her as she watched her childhood friend beam. Ever since they were little this was all Hop would talk about- becoming a trainer and setting out to become Champion. And now that they were here? Gloria had the feeling that she's going to have a hard time keeping up with all his excitement.

There really was no going back now. Motostoke was just a reach away!

"It seems like we have some time before the Opening Ceremony, we could-" Gloria began, but Hop's eagerness was quick to cut her off.

"Catch some super strong pokemon and dominate the Gym Challenge!" He cheekily smiled, a smile so bright that Gloria could only laugh.

"Sure, sure," She snickered as she and Scorbunny walked past him onto the green pasture, "And while you're being chased by a Snorlax, I'll be over here getting stronger."

Hop gaped at her.

"No way!" Hop ran after his rival, "You just watch me become Champion, Gloria, and I'll take you down with my Snorlax like this!"

Before Gloria could react, Hop came at her from behind and jumped into a strong embrace-squeezing her tight.

"H-Hop!" She gasped, blushing brighter than a cherubi. Hop, oblivious to the contact he was making, snickered as he squeezed tighter.

"Anndd it's super effective! The crowd goes wild, and Champion Hop takes the win!" Hop cheers as he lets Gloria go, laughing with his Grookey as Gloria just stands there, frazzled and dumbfounded.

"P-pft…" Gloria stuttered quietly to herself as she covered her pink face, trying to be discreet. Scorbunny, however, took notice of its stumbling trainer and persistently tugged at her dress with a fiery hop in each tug.

"I-I'm okay!' She whispered before narrowing her eyes ahead at her rival. Without realizing she was holding her breath, she let out a frustrated sigh. Leave it to Hop to be dumb and oblivious to such things!

"Oi!" Hop called out to Gloria, a few paces ahead of her. "Everything alright, mate? Don't tell me your feet are tired yet!" There was that goofy smile of his again. Gloria shook her head, there was no use. He simply wouldn't get it.

Instead, catching Scorbunny as it leapt into her arms, Gloria shrugged it off and smiled his way.

"How 'bout we stop for lunch then scope the area?" She said.

Hop's face said it all. It was excitement and determination wrapped all in one. The expression of an oblivious, cheeky boy towards a caring, cautious girl.

"Great idea!"

* * *

"C-Careful Hop, the curry is burning!" Gloria gasped as she quickly took the ladle from her rival's hand and stirred the curry pot in front of her.

Hop pouted as he placed his hands behind his neck, "But I like the bits a tad burnt. Just so the meat is crispy." There was a tone of pity in his voice as he watched Gloria take over the stew, and the girl sighed as she kept her eye on the pot.

"Okay, okay. I'll cook it a little longer than how my mum does it, but we have to make sure it's still edible at least. "

Hop smiled, "Thanks, mate."

He watched as Gloria focused on the task at hand with admiration. Leave it to Gloria to always lend a helping hand, no matter what problems he's faced. In fact, when was the last time she _wasn't _at his side? Hop could barely remember a time without Gloria. Ever since she moved to Postwick years ago, their mums said they were just like two peas in a pod. When he's Champion, he'll be sure to do something to thank her for all her support. But how? That's a good question. He'll probably have to ask Lee, he's certainly made a lot of friends as Champion but he's pretty sure he knows-

"Hop."

Gloria's voice interrupted his thoughts with a jump.

"Look." She pointed behind him. Hop turned around, and the sight before him nearly startled him himself!

Because right there, in the midst of their campsite, stood a rigid Xatu…staring on intently at the two.

"It's a Xatu!" Gloria gasped, taking out her Rotomdex. "What a find!"

Scorbunny and Grookey looked upon the pokemon with wonder, and along with their trainers, seemed surprised by the sudden encounter. It appeared friendly, as it showed no signs of attack, but it just _stood there._

"Ugh, but why is it just staring at us like that? It's kinda creepy…" Hop scratched his head.

Gloria scanned her dex, "It seems that Xatu can see both the past and future with one simple gaze. The longer it stares at something, the more it sees." She looked up and over at the pokemon, "Wow. I wonder what it's seeing? Is it really seeing the future?"

Hop laughed, "It's seeing the next Champion, I bet! Oh man, if only I could speak pokemon!"

Gloria rolled her eyes at her rival, before noticing how happy Scorbunny and Grookey seemed next to the mystic pokemon. She breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, whatever it's seeing, our starters seem happy."

Suddenly, the eyes of the Xatu widened.

And in that moment, both Gloria and Hop felt a shiver down their spines. The sensation was faint, subtle, almost forgettable, but by the look of the Xatu's blank stare…there was just _something _going on.

Something completely unexpected.

Both the past and future.

Presently.

Seen together all at once.


	2. The Past

For as long as Hop could remember, Leon was there by his side. In the mornings. In the evenings. Even during the afternoon naps his mum begged him to take. On the day Leon set off for his pokemon journey, however, everything started to shift from the small boy's routine.

And the realization hit Hop hard.

"Wait! Wait! I'm comin' too!" A small Hop proclaimed loudly at the top of the steps, carrying an oversized bag and blanket. The poor thing was completely overwhelmed by the weight as he trudged down the steps in a hurry, but nonetheless, he remained determined.

Leon's expression softened a bit as their mother fretted over Hop, trying to take the bags from the boy's hands. Hop squirmed in protest.

"Now, now, dear you are not quite old enough yet for your pokemon journey." Her voice was soothing, but that didn't stop the words from hurting the small child.

"I'm fine! _I'm strong!"_ Hop pouted as his mother successfully managed to take his coat off, bringing a sense of panic to the child's eyes. "…What's Lee going to do without me?"

And that's when the tears threatened to set in.

For Hop.

For Leon.

Leon watched as his younger brother clench his fists. He knew a day like today would be hard on Hop, and although it was a day he's been looking forward to for a long time, it also became a day he too has been dreading.

The young trainer took a step towards his brother and knelt down to meet Hop at eye level. The poor thing, his fists were already in balls over his eyes. At a glance, it would look like the small boy was crying. In reality? When Leon looked further, Hop was wiping his tears away in frustration.

"Hey," Leon whispered, pulling Hop's tiny hands away from his cheeks. "Hop, check this out."

Leon reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny pokeball, expanding it right before Hop's very eyes. The little boy was dazzled in amazement as the ball emitted a bright white glow, and soon standing right in front of him, a tiny little Charmander appeared.

"_Char!"_ The Charmander screeched happily, wagging its fiery tail as it smiled up at Hop with its bright eyes.

Hop's chubby pout quivered into a smile as he looked up from the pokemon to his brother, who was smiling a cheeky grin that only would come from Leon. His Lee.

"I won't get hurt or lost with our buddy Charmander at my side! And before you know it, we'll be back home in no time!"

Hop looked hesitant as he shuffled in his steps, but he felt the truth in his brother's words.

"I promise when I become Champion, we're going to go on such a grand adventure it's going to make this time apart seem like nothing! We'll go on many fun adventures and see so many cool pokemon, just you wait!"

"B-But I wanna go with you now!"

"Oh, but Hop, you get to start your first day at daycare soon!" His mother said, "Think of all the fun memories you'll make! I'm sure Leon would love to hear about them when he comes home."

Hop did nothing but frown. Fun memories without Lee? There was no way. Leon looked at his brother's frown with a weak smile, before ruffling his hair.

"While I set out to be a Champion, could you hold the fort while I'm gone? Make sure everyone is happy and having a champion time?"

"I-I can do that!" Hop pumped his tiny fists. Leon smiled.

"Brilliant." He said, flashing a wide grin. "And I promise I'll visit lots when I can! Heck, you might barely recognize that I'm gone!"

Although that seemed to have eased the situation, Hop doubted that very much. What would life be without Lee at his side? Who would chase Wooloo with him or sneak into trees to find the best berries? A life like that…seemed almost too hard to imagine. Too difficult to even think about.

And yet, it was anything but impossible.

For little did Hop know how easy the next chapter in his life would turn.

* * *

Despite what his mother had promised, the first day at daycare was anything but remarkable. While Leon set out on his journey exploring new towns and pokemon, Hop scowled as he was forced to hold his mother's hand all the way to the Wedgehurst Daycare.

"Let go mummy, I don't need to hold hands!" Hop tried to tug himself away, however, his mother held on tighter. All she could do was shake her head.

"We don't want you to get lost in the Wooloo herds now, love."

"I won't get lost!" Hop persisted, "Holding hands is for babies!"

But his mother didn't let up. She held his hand firmly as they made their way to the entrance of the daycare, Hop's tiny hands still firmly held in her own.

The small boy looked up at the playful building with indifference. Sure, there were bright colors everywhere. And yeah, they had lots of pictures of baby pokemon painted on the side mural next to a giant playground. But it was nothing compared to the hype Lee and his mum made it seem to be.

In Hop's eyes, without his brother by his side, there wasn't a point.

Finally letting go of his hand, Hop's mother knelt down before him and brushed away the stray fuzzies from his blue jumper before patting his tummy.

"I know you miss your brother, sweetie." She smiled, "But chin up!" She poked his chin, "You'll make lots of friends here and if you promise to have fun, then I promise the time will fly by and Leon will soon be home."

Her words finally brought on a smile.

"Really?" Hop said, "The more fun I have, Lee will come home faster?"

She nodded. With that affirmation, she gave him one last squeeze before saying her goodbyes along with the other parents…leaving Hop to tackle the day all on his own.

It went as well as it could have gone. Arts and Crafts time. Snack time. Nap time. Play time. Reading time. There sure was a lot of "times" Hop was told what to do and what he couldn't do. And he _hated _it. If he was a pokemon trainer like Lee, then he could do whatever he wants! Go wherever he wants! Play with whatever pokemon he wants! And, most importantly, spend all day with his brother without having to worry about sitting "nicely" in a circle.

"It's your turn, Hop, tell the class something fun about yourself." His teacher said while they all sat in said circle. This part of the day was supposedly called "_Sharing time"._

Hop jumped up from his seat with almost too much excitement, nearly knocking over the children next to him.

"My name is Hop and I'm going to be a pokemon champ-yen with my brother, Lee!" To prove his point, he did his best to imitate his brother's new trick by spinning around and striking _the_ pose.

He tripped.

* * *

It took his mum almost twice as long to wake up Hop for his next day at daycare. With much fussing, Hop found himself once more being dragged by the hand on another bright, sunny day through Postwick.

"Ooh," His mother said as they walked to Wedgehurst, "It looks like someone finally bought the house next door. I wonder who it could be…?" She thought aloud but Hop didn't pay any attention to her.

He just knew that he had to go through another day at _that place_. All of this was complete rubbish! Not that he would say that directly to his mum however… the last thing he needed was a scolding for using a naughty word.

Kicking rocks as he walked, Hop frowned. What was Lee doing right now? Probably something _way _cooler than this! In fact, Hop wouldn't be surprised if he caught at least a million pokemon by now!

By the time they reached the daycare's entrance, his mother began her usual routine of fixing his jumper and straightening his little knapsack.

"And don't forget I packed a _special _surprise for your snack today." She cooed, "Can you guess what it is? _It's your favorite_." Her voice mimicked that of a song.

"Ah, um!" Hop thought aloud as he quickly grew excited, _"Choco biscuits!"_

"That's right!" His mom smiled, hoping a special snack would help. Thankfully, it seemed to have worked. "Be a good boy today, okay Hop? Make mummy proud!"

And with the knowledge that he had his favorite treat on hand, Hop hurriedly said goodbye to his mum as he raced into the building with the other children. The usual hustle and bustle came about when the bell rang along with the sounds of giggles and chatter. Hop found his cubby in a hurry, throwing in his belongings abruptly before rushing over to the main carpet area where the others gathered.

"Okay settle around the circle! We have a fun day ahead of us!" The teacher came into the room with a bright smile, ushering the children to quiet down.

Hop took his usual seat on the carpet, but as usual, found it hard to sit still. By the look of the teacher's face, it looked like there was some big announcement or something. Whatever it was Hop couldn't tell, nor did he care. He just wanted it to be snack time already so he could dive into his treats!

"We have some exciting news for you all. Today there will be a new addition to our class!" The teacher began, causing quite a stir amongst the little ones.

"Are we getting a class pet?!" One child shouted.

"Ahh! I hope it's a Yampers!" Another joined in.

"Noo, a Wooloo!"

"What is it?!"

At this point, the classroom was brought into a loud stir as the teacher quickly hushed the group.

"I'm sorry class, but we are not getting a class pokemon." The words alone were all the children needed to hear as they groaned. Hop put his hands behind his head and let out a little sigh. Of course, he shouldn't get too excited. Why would he even think something _that _fun would happen to a place like _this?_

"However, we are gaining a new friend today! She just moved here and is so happy to join us! Can we all say hello?" She peaked over to the classroom's door. Hop's eyes followed.

There by the entrance stood a small girl, clutching the doorframe shyly alongside a tall lady. From the looks of it, Hop gathered, that must be her mummy.

"Everyone," The teacher said as she took the small girl's hand and led her to the front of the class, "Say hi to our new friend, Gloria."

"_Hi Gloria!" _The entire class said in monotone unison.

The girl looked down shyly as she fidgeted with the hem of her pink jumper, staring at her little shoes with anxious eyes. It looked like she was trying to hide under the bangs that covered her forehead, but it seemed impossible with the two little pigtails neatly done on either side.

Hop didn't know much about girls aside from his own mum, but by the looks of her, she looked just like one of those dolls he would see at the Pokemart. But those dolls were always happy…and this girl didn't look happy.

"Gloria, can you say hi to the class?" The teacher knelt down beside her, "It's okay, there's no need to be shy." The teacher's words were kind and soothing, yet they had little effect on the girl.

"…" Gloria hesitated before looking back over to the door, then back to the group.

She again put her head down.

"Why isn't she saying anything?" A kid spoke up.

"Is she broken?" Another.

"…um…" Gloria trembled as she clenched her hands together, as if she tried to say something. Anything at all. But she just looked so scared.

"She's weird!" Someone shouted from the back of the classroom, causing a ruckus of laughter to break out. Gloria faltered at the remark, before casting her eyes further down. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Enough!" The teacher snapped in a tone Hop never heard before, startling him and the rest of the room. "We are all friends here in this classroom and I will hear nothing else." Sternly, the teacher gave a harsh look to the class once more before rubbing Gloria's shoulders in comfort.

"Gloria, sweetie, we are all happy to have you here." The teacher soothed, "And we'd be so happy if you'd join our friendship circle."

There was a lingering silence in the room as Gloria hesitated, looking back to her mum at the door and back to the group. Clenching her jumper a little tighter, she nodded before the teacher motioned for a small space to be made.

"There's a spot just for you right next to Hop over there. Don't be shy, have a seat."

And so, Gloria carefully walked over to the spot while the rest of the kids stared at her. Hop included. As she took her seat, she stared down at her thumbs while the teacher continued talking.

"Now class, today we are going to be learning about…" The voice trailed off as Hop's eyes wandered back to the girl every now and then. She looked sad, like she looked lost, but no one else around her seemed to notice. In fact, the children around her continued as if she didn't exist.

And Hop? Well, he didn't say anything to her. In fact, he carried on with the other children.

Because that Gloria girl was just a little too quiet.

And frankly, just a little too weird.

* * *

Later that day, Hop found himself happily sitting at the snack table with his knapsack by his side. Opening the tiny bag, Hop's mouth watered at the sight of his mum's chocolate biscuits-neatly wrapped up and just ready for him to eat! He hummed to himself in delight as he quickly unwrapped the cookies, eager to taste the chocolatey goodness that he and Lee used to sneak in between dinner.

If he could have snacks like this every day, maybe this whole daycare thing wouldn't be so bad.

Yet, as Hop was just about to take his very first bite, he heard a commotion from the other side of the room. Startled, he looked over to see what was going on.

Across the room there was a group of the other boys- about two or three- crowding around that new Gloria girl. She was sitting alone at one of the other tables, clutching her own tiny pink knapsack in her hands, too scared to look up at the boys hovering over her.

"Why do you have to be _so weird?_" One of the boys teased, poking her a little too harshly on the side. It was the kind of poking Hop's mum would yell at him for.

Gloria winced, drawing in on herself, clutching her snack tighter.

"Are you even a person if you can't talk to people?" Another boy teased, tugging on her pigtail and jabbing at her. _"Are you sure you belong here?"_

There was that look again in her eyes. The look that she was trying not to cry.

"…S-Stop it…" Gloria uttered as the boys took their turns teasing her, "…leave me alone!"

But the bullies got a kick from her backlash. They laughed and laughed as they continued their poking, one of them ultimately grabbing her snack from her hands.

"H-Hey!" Gloria cried out, "That's my snack…!"

The boys snickered, "If you don't belong here, then you don't need a snack!"

And right in front of the poor girl's eyes the bullies grabbed at the snack and crumbled it right into mush. Hop watched in horror from across the room as the girl's snack turned into nothing but crumbles on the ground…obliterated into nothing but dust.

"Aw look! She's gonna cry!" One of the boy's teased, "Just like a little Sobble, crybaby, crybaby!"

Gloria's face grew red as her tears swelled up. Her mouth opened to say something, but tears only came out instead. The bullies erupted into laughter around her, poking and shoving her, amused by their new game while Hop just sat there.

A strange feeling swelled inside him. A feeling he never felt before. Something unfamiliar…and _angry_.

"_While I set out to be a Champion, could you hold the fort while I'm gone? Make sure everyone is happy and having a champion time?"_

"Hey, leave her alone!" Hop ran over to the bullies, shoving the one poking Gloria aside. The boy fell over with a thud, startling both the other bullies and Gloria herself.

"Hey!" A boy poked at Hop in defense, but Hop slapped his hand away

"You're not being nice! And not being nice is not what champions do!" He shouted, "Go away!"

Hop quickly stood in front of Gloria, putting his hands out to protect her from the bullies. In return, the boys redirected their attention from Gloria right onto Hop.

"Ew! You're going to be friends with a girl?!" One gagged.

"So what?" Hop countered back, "I'd rather be friends with a girl than a meanie!"

Gloria looked up from her crying.

"You're going to get cooties!"

"I bet you he already has cooties!"

"Hop has cooties! Hop has cooties!"

The bullies threw all their nasty words at Hop, but the small boy had none of it.

He stuck his tongue out at the group, "If I have cooties then you better run away before I give them to you!" He leaned in closer, startling them as he inched further on, before ultimately scaring the boys away.

"Yeah that's right, bye bye!" Hop yelled as the bullies disappeared.

He took in a deep breath, that angry feeling slowly subsiding away. He closed his eyes and patted his cheeks, smiling. Lee would be so proud of him! Is this what it feels like to be a champion? To be someone's hero?

"Alright we did it-!" Hop turned around to face Gloria, but paused as he watched the girl slowly pick up her ruined snack from the floor.

"T-Thank you…" She stuttered; her eyes still puffy from earlier. "Thank you for helping me." And slowly, the outer corners of her lips turned upwards. A faint image of a smile.

A new feeling rushed into Hop's tiny chest.

"Um, you're welcome!" He said, "But I'm sorry about your snack!"

"It's okay…" She murmured.

Gloria looked at the ruined treat in her hands with disappointment. Hop noticed that look. He must have had that same look on his face when Lee left. And Hop knew firsthand that it wasn't a fun look. If only there was a way to cheer her up…

Suddenly, the boy had an idea.

"Hey, um, come with me!" He reached out for Gloria's hand and took it within his own, surprising the small girl. Hop smiled at her before leading her back to his table where his choco biscuits waited for him.

Or more so, waited for _them_.

"We can share my snack! My mummy made these just for me today, so they're special!" He smiled cheekily at her. Gloria's eyes lit up at the sight of the treat.

"My mummy makes these too…" She grinned as Hop happily snapped a cookie in half, giving her one of the pieces.

Hop watched as the girl happily munched on the cookie, a new expression on her face. She looked…happy. The boy couldn't help but smile to himself. Now she definitely looked like those dolls he's seen at the Pokemart.

Suddenly, a stomach rumbling was heard. Hop perked up at the sound and Gloria looked down at her belly.

"You can have more if you want!" Hop shoved more cookies at her, "I-I'm not that hungry!"

She hesitated at the offer…but smiled when Hop insisted with his own bright smile on his face. Taking another bite into her mouth, Hop watched as the girl's face lit up with each bite. He decided he liked that smile.

It was infectious, just like Lee's.

* * *

Of all the things Hop's mum expected when she went to pick up her child, she certainly wasn't expecting a sight such as _this_.

Standing amidst the group of daycare children was her son, happily holding hands with an equally happy girl. Upon approaching the duo, Hop's face lit up.

"Mummy, this is my friend Gloria!" His face was beaming.

"Oh my, aren't you two adorable!" She said, crouching down. "It's very nice to meet you, Gloria."

"…It's nice to meet you too!" Gloria smiled, which led to Hop smiling brighter, and Hop's mom just cooing at the sight. This was too precious.

"Mummy, I'm walking Gloria home today!" Hop bumped his fist in determination, leading his mother to sweat a bit.

"Oh dear, we can't just do that. I'm sure Gloria's mummy would-"

"M-My mummy said it was okay if you said it was okay...I don't live far!" Gloria said, pointing towards her own mum who was waiting with a smile on her face. With a few more introductions and a short walk back to Postwick, it came to the mothers' attention that they, in fact, were the new neighbors next door.

The two women trailed behind their children who walked several steps ahead of them, hand in hand, swinging their hands happily in the air.

"-and when my brother becomes Champion, then I'm going to be Champion one day too! I'm going to be just like him!" Hop cheered.

"Wow!" Gloria replied in awe, "That's amazing!"

"I know!" Hop grinned, "And when you grow up too you can be my sidekick!"

"Yeah!" Gloria cheered, before thinking, "But what does a Champion sidekick do?"

Hop paused, pondering the question. After all, it would be good to know what a Champion does first before deciding what a sidekick does…

"Ummmmm," Hop quickly thought, before grinning. "A sidekick does cool things like helping the Champion do important stuff!"

Gloria seemed to like that answer as she hummed along.

"Yay! Then when we grow up, we can do that and maybe get married too!" Her words alone brought a pink to Hop's face.

"Ew!" Hop stuck out his tongue, "No way! That's gross!"

Gloria only giggled at Hop's reaction.

"But!" Hop said, "You can definitely still be my sidekick! We'll be the best team!"

"Okay! I'll be the bestest sidekick ever!" Gloria replied, happy with his answer. After all, she was just content having his hand to hold as they walked through the bright fields of Route 1.

The little girl smiled to herself. Moving far away was hard, especially when mummy said daddy couldn't come with them, and everything at first seemed scary. As if everyone she met would eventually leave her one day too.

But, looking at Hop with his happy smile, Gloria didn't feel that scary feeling anymore. In fact, she felt something she hasn't felt in a long time. She felt _safe_.

And with that, Gloria held on to Hop's hand a little tighter.

* * *

The next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, Hop was up and ready for daycare before his mother could even knock on the door. And even on days when Hop didn't have daycare, he was up at the crack of dawn running next door to see his new friend.

It was a blessing for both families. Aside from the occasional Wooloo incident, the mothers never had to worry when Hop and Gloria found their way to each other. They were just like two peas in a pod, and Hop's mother couldn't wait to share the news with Leon the next time he rang home.

"…_So then I realized it wasn't two lefts and a right, but two rights and then a left, before I made it to Turffield!"_ Leon's muffled voice was overheard from the family's Rotom phone.

"Oh dear," His mum sighed, "Please be careful out there and stick by Sonia if you can."

Leon groaned. "_Mum, I don't need to rely on Sonia!"_

"_Hey! You'd be daft to think you would have found it here on your own!" _A girl's voice was heard in the background.

His mum snickered. 'Well, I'm glad all is going well. We all can't wait to watch your first gym battle tonight!"

"Yeah!' Leon said, "I can't wait to show you guys how much stronger I am! Hop is going to go mad when he sees Charmander in action."

"Speaking of," Leon asked, "Is Hop around? I still have some time to say hi before I have to go warm up."

His mother looked over from the kitchen to where Hop and Gloria played in the living room. Whatever game they were playing, a strange combination of tag and hide-n-seek, the small children seemed pretty occupied with each other. Too occupied to notice Hop's mum calling for them. After a few tries, the woman soon gave up.

"He seems pretty busy with his new friend," She sighed, before chuckling. "You may have better luck next time you ring."

"_New friend?" _Leon asked, _"Is it another Wooloo or something?"_

Laughter came from the two as their mum wished her son luck and said her goodbyes. As the Rotom phone clicked and flew to the side, Hop's mum approached the rambunctious duo.

"Now it's my turn to Dynamax!" Hop shouted as he went to jump from the couch to the pile of cushions on the floor. Gloria cheered as he landed with a _puff_.

"Gloria sweetie, it's time for me to walk you back home." Hop's mum said.

"_Awwwww!" _Both children groaned, Hop more so in particular.

"Can't Gloria sleep over and watch Lee's match tonight?" Hop whined. His mum shook her head.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but your brother's match is way past your bedtime. If you like, Gloria can come over tomorrow to watch the recording with you."

Hop stomped his feet. "That's not fair! I wanna watch Lee tonight like everyone else!"

His mother shook her head. "Not until you're a little bit older, Hop. I'm sorry."

Gloria looked over at Hop, who was on the verge of a tantrum. She looked back over at his mummy then back to the kitchen where their Rotom phone still happily buzzed around.

And just like that, a tiny lightbulb flickered above her head.

"U-Um!" Gloria perked up, tugging on his mum's apron. "Can I sleep over if my mummy says it's okay? We'll go to bed early, I promise!"

Hop looked at Gloria in betrayal. Did she go crazy too?! But it didn't take long for Gloria to quickly look at Hop with a knowing wink.

Something clicked between the two. He didn't know what she had planned, but he trusted her.

"Yeah, never mind about the match! Puh-lease! Please, please, please let Gloria stay!" Hop begged, jumping up and down. Gloria stood next to him, showing more restraint but still just as anxious.

It didn't take long for his mum to cave. With a deep sigh, she shook her head.

"Alright, alright. Let me call Gloria's mummy really quick." She said.

The two kids cheered happily as his mother walked back to the kitchen. When she was out of sight, Hop turned to Gloria.

"We're not really gonna miss Lee's match, right?" He whispered.

Gloria shook her head, her face suddenly full of determination.

"No way!" She said, pumping her fists. A new habit she picked up. "I got a plan!"

And the two laughed as they embraced before, ultimately, returning to their game of _Dynamax-Hide-N-Go-Seek-Tag._

* * *

It didn't take long for the steps of Gloria's plan to come into motion. Once supper was done and the two were tucked into Hop's bed, Gloria waited until Hop's mum flickered the lights and left the room. Almost right away, Hop squirmed impatiently under the blankets as Gloria waited for the sound of fading footsteps.

"Now what are we going to do?" Hop said, sitting up restlessly against the pillow. Gloria hushed him as she quickly untucked herself and reached over for her bag on the floor.

"Look it." She whispered, pulling something large from the duffle. "I grabbed this from my mummy when she wasn't watching."

Hop helped the girl pull herself back up and lit up once he saw what she held.

It was a Rotom tablet!

"_Cool!"_ Hop whispered as he held the one side of the device, "Will this thingy play Lee's match?"

"It should!" Gloria said as she retucked herself back into the bed. She reached over to Hop's side and tucked him back in as well, making sure he was situated before turning back to the tablet.

"My mummy watches TV on here all the time so all we have to do is ask it to play Lee's match!"

"_Woww!" _

Hop stared at the tablet before furrowing his brow at the device, taking it into his hands. He stared at it intently before finally saying, "Play Lee's match, please!"

Silence.

Gloria laughed. "You can't talk to it like a person!" She giggled, "You have to type it in!"

Hop pouted, turning pink in embarrassment. "But we didn't learn any letters yet!"

Gloria shushed him before taking the tablet back into her hands.

"I know some words." She said, her tiny fingers poking at the screen. She clicked on the bright TV icon and typed in the words "Pokemon", "Gym", "Today" and then "Live".

Hop stared in awe as the screen lit up with images of Turffield Stadium and its gym challengers.

"That's amazing, Gloria!" Hop said, before almost jumping in his seat. "Look, there's Lee!"

Gloria let Hop tap on the image that led to the livestream of Leon's gym battle, which was just about to start.

Hop was restless as he watched his brother enter on the turf, waving to the crowds and to the camera.

"That's my brother!" Hop said in an excited whisper, "That's my Lee!"

Gloria watched in excitement, both at the battle at hand and at Hop's reactions, as the two held the tiny tablet together under the sheets of Hop's bed.

It was an amazing battle. Taking place at Turffield Stadium, grass pokemon reigned supreme as Leon took on each one with his Charmander. Hop bounced around in awe with each attack, completely amazed by Leon's tactics and how strong his brother was.

He grew even more excited when Leon struck his infamous pose among winning the match. Hop had to scream into his pillow from all the excitement.

As Gloria watched, however, she looked past all the fanfare and enthusiasm from the victory. Instead, she watched Leon. She noticed the methods behind his strategy, and although she didn't say anything to Hop in regard to his brother's type advantage, she quietly took her own notes.

When the livestream came to an end, Hop clapped happily as Gloria figured out how to power down the tablet.

"That was awesome!" Hop happily sighed as he fell back on the pillow, "Lee was so cool!"

"So cool!" Gloria agreed as she plopped down next to Hop.

'And that's going to be me one day." Hop said as he stared at his room's dark ceiling, the reflection of his pokemon posters staring back down at him. "I'm going to be just as cool as Lee."

Gloria smiled, "And I'll be the sidekick!"

"Yeah!" Hop pumped his fist, "And together we're going to kick so much butt! I can't wait to get bigger now, I can barely sleep!"

The night air filled the room as the two chatting quietly amongst each other. Hop saying goofy things and Gloria laughing along. It didn't take much to entertain the two, things were simple, as being with the other fell naturally into place.

Like the sun and the moon.

Like a Wooloo and its flock.

Like a knight's sword and shield.

"Hey I was thinking," Hop whispered as he turned to face Gloria, "Maybe it won't be so bad if we got married when we are bigger. We can stay up late every night and watch Pokemon tournaments, and eat all the candy we want, and never have to do what grownups tell us!"

'Really?" Gloria beamed, "And, and we can live in a big, big castle with a hundred Wooloo! _No, a thousand Wooloo!" _

"That'd be ace!" Hop agreed, before suddenly getting serious. "But there's no way I'm kissing you or anything when we're married!" He stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"Ew!" Gloria shuddered, "I'll never do that!"

Then, the two kids laughed. A boy with his silly grin and a girl with her sweet smile. And from that day, as long as Hop could remember, Gloria was there right by his side. In the mornings. In the evenings. In the years that flew by and brought them to a new age. A new journey.

A new rivalry born from the best of friends.

* * *

BABY POSTWICK BABY POSTWICK BABY POSTWICK T-T


	3. The Future (Part 1)

Here's the next part! I upped the rating a bit, hope you don't mind ;)

* * *

They say time is everything.

That there is a sort of magic to time moving on, bringing about a new age. A new perspective. However, what isn't often mentioned is that when time answers one question…a million more open up. In reality, not everything could be solved with time. In the end, questions only get bigger. Answers don't always become clearer.

And Hop was thinking way too hard about this as he zoned out in front of the coffee machine, eyeing up his fourth cup of the night. The research assistant was used to asking a million questions, something he was quite good at ever since he stumbled into his profession and into adulthood.

But lately, there was just _one question_ that has been keeping Hop up at night. Something that had been bothering him for quite some time. Something, he realized, far too important for him to mess up.

Hop patted his cheeks, snapping himself out of it as he tried to stay awake. Heading back to the pile of papers meticulously spread over his desk, Hop was determined to at least finish his work for the night. Or early morning.

Or whatever time it actually was in the Pokemon Research Lab.

Hop was afraid to check.

His eyes glazed over his research in front of him. Between his scribbled notes and lack of a final draft, Hop knew he still had a way to go before he could finally sleep. He fought back another yawn. Sonia would kill him otherwise if he didn't get this work done, especially when he was _so _close to his doctorate.

However, after writing a few pages, Hop's eyes couldn't help but drift to the duffle by his feet. There it was again. _That question _plaguing his thoughts as he tried to focus. A temptation too strong for Hop to resist as he removed his reading glasses and reached inside the bag once more.

He knew he shouldn't get distracted from his work. He _knew_ this was probably the third or fourth time he's done this today alone, but there was no use. He was helpless.

For there was one thing far more valuable than all his research combined.

Finally finding what he was looking for, Hop pulled out a tiny velvet box and smiled when he flipped it open. There it was. The center of all Hop's questions. Or, more so, _the question. _

The most perfect diamond engagement ring.

Thoughts of pokemon research faded from Hop's mind as he held the ring, his palms trembling slightly, his heart racing. Instead, all he could think about was…_her. _

Gloria.

And how she was the most important thing to him. More important than any research. Any pokemon. Any person. Just…_anything_.

Drifting his gaze from the piece of jewelry to the photo frame on his desk, Hop's chest grew warm as he looked at their photograph together. It was a selfie from their short holiday in Circhester, Gloria blushing happily at the camera as Hop kissed her cheek. He remembers that day well, it was one of the rare days he was able to steal her away from her Champion duties and have her all to himself. And him to her.

But…that snowy holiday in Circhester seemed like forever ago. Although they have been officially dating for quite some time, moments such as this were sadly too far in between. Gloria was Champion. Hop was going to be a Pokemon Professor. And both roles often demanded too much of the little time they barely had.

How long has it been since the last time they were together? Actually in each other's arms, and not curled up video chatting in bed? With her constantly travelling as Champion, and him always buried under some book, their schedules often worked against them.

But…that didn't stop him from missing her. Somehow, the two of them made it work. Whether it be Gloria making short visits back to Postwick or Hop surprising her at Wyndon Stadium, the two refused for things not to work.

And as Hop held the ring, its weight growing heavier and heavier within his palms, now was the time to make everything official. _Like, really, really official_.

Hop blushed madly in frustration as he grumbled, putting the ring safely away for the millionth time and raking his fingers through his hair. He never thought something so simple would be so hard! He needed a plan, but nothing seemed good enough. Everything had to be perfect for this to work, Hop knew that much, but exactly _how_ he was going to pull this off was driving him mad.

Just as Hop was about to throw his head on the desk, he felt the Rotomphone in his pocket buzz wildly. The device flew out in front of him, effectively jolting Hop from his slump as he caught the phone. Who could be calling him this late?

"Hello?" His voice was scratchy, a result from the night's fatigue.

"Hey you," A woman on the other line said. It was a voice Hop instantly recognized.

He jumped up from his seat, nearly knocking his coffee over in the process.

"G-Gloria!" His face lit up as he pressed the phone eagerly to his ear, "What's up? I mean, how are you? I'm surprised to hear from you at this hour."

"I can say the same thing," She sighed, before chuckling. "But I'm glad you answered."

"Is everything alright?" Hop asked, losing all interest in his work. Pokemon theories and master thesis be damned.

"Oh yeah! Everything's fine, don't worry." Gloria said, "It's just been a long day…and I miss you."

Hop smiled bashfully to himself, "Me too." _Wait._ His eyes suddenly grew wide as he heard what he just said.

"I-I mean, I miss you more!" He quickly faltered, thankful there was no one else in the lab to hear this. Gloria, however, only giggled in response- bringing ease to Hop's rapid beating heart.

He loved that sound.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," She said. Impossible. "Any progress on the gigantamax theory?"

Hop sighed, sitting back down in his seat with a slump. The paperwork in front of him looked more cryptic than ever.

"Barely. I've been going bonkers trying to piece the link between Gigantamax and conceptual mega-evolution. And then there is the whole tie-in with Z-moves and Dynamax abilities, everything is just blurring together at this point." His laughter was weak, and Gloria sensed it.

"Don't tell me you're still at the lab." She said. Hop hesitated.

"_Hop." _

He scratched his head sheepishly. "You got me. At this rate, I have no choice if I want to meet my deadline."

There was a hesitant pause on Gloria's end.

"But this late? I hope you're not pushing yourself too hard…"

His eyes softened, drifting his gaze back to their photograph. "Don't you worry about me now."

"And what about you? Hop asked, changing the topic. "Why are you still up?"

By the sounds of Gloria's voice, it sounded like she was outside. Probably camping out between routes, he figured, and Hop's chest hurt at the thought of how far away she actually was.

"Oh…" Gloria's voice trailed off, "Nothing major, just…you know, traveling."

"Hmm," Hop sighed, "From the last time we chatted you must be close to Ballonlea, yeah?"

"Um…sure..." Her voice staggered, "To be honest, though, the league wants me everywhere all at once. Sometimes it's so bad that I often forget which route I'm on."

Hop snickered, "I guess we should have gave Lee an easier time with his sense of direction after all."

Gloria scoffed, "No way! He's still pants with directions and now he has no excuse for it."

Hop laughed along, drifting back in his chair. "That's true, at least you're able to find your way home."

She lingered on the other end. "…And if somehow I can't find my way home?"

"Then I'll come for you." Hop said with absolutely no hesitation.

"Really? You would come find me?" Her voice was soft, gentle.

"Always. Even if I have to come to Ballonlea right now and snatch you away, I'll be there for you. And I'll bring you home…." His voice grew just as gentle, eyes softening.

Gloria paused.

"You're already my home." She finally said.

Hop's cheeks grew pink.

"And you're mine." He said, his chest swelling up.

"Hop, there is something I have to tell you."

"What?" Hop sat up straight. Feelings of panic started to sink in his chest as Gloria remained silent. What was wrong? Was she okay?

"…I'm home." And this time, Gloria's voice came from another direction. Another source. A sound so close to him. Hop turned around, the phone still pressed to his ear, before his eyes went wide.

He couldn't believe it.

There she was, Gloria, breathing heavily and completely disheveled from the outside. Standing right there in front of him.

"Hi…" She breathed, her face flush, eyes soft. Her rotomphone scampered away with a single click as her bags fell beside her, yet her flustered expression did not break from his.

Hop dropped everything. His coffee. His rotomphone. _Everything_. There was a warm haze that settled upon the research lab as he rushed to her, grabbing her tightly by the waist and brushing his lips against hers. Mouths parted as if to speak, but all thoughts of further conversation were lost in passion as the two were consumed by a searing kiss.

Gloria's eyes fluttered closed at the contact, deepening their embrace as Hop's hands caressed her side. She felt warm, safe, and finally at home as their bodies were pulled flushed together- her hands sneaking up from under his shirt and onto his chest.

Hop moaned at her touch, pulling away for only a second to breathe, before kissing her lips again.

"Hi…" Hop murmured back with a half-lidded gaze, before diving back in to kiss her once more.

Gloria smiled against his lips as the two fumbled back against the desk, effectively knocking over a few stacks of papers in the process. The young champion nearly jumped as a result, yet Hop didn't seemed bothered in the slightest. He had other ideas in mind. Ideas for her body, her lips, her neck…

"H-Hop," Gloria breathed, reluctantly pulling away to look at the mess on the floor. Hop didn't seem fazed as he continued his attention to her neck, finding her pulse point before lightly suckling her skin.

"Y-Your research…your thesis-!" Her voice broke into a moan as Hop's fingers worked their way down her waistline, curving upward ever so slightly.

His response was simple as he spun Gloria around, pinning her to the desk as he swooped away the remaining papers and documents. With a gasp, he propped her on the cleared surface where his thesis once sat and rubbed her thighs closer to his- a puzzle piece just waiting to come together. The pair leaned in close with heavy breaths, resting their foreheads against the other as they lingered in the sensation. Gloria's knees went weak, a heat pooling from deep within her as she pulled Hop down on the desk. One by one, layers of clothing soon began to fall…effectively covering any paperwork left on the floor.

Nothing mattered anymore. Absolutely nothing. No champion battles. No pokemon research. Hop finally had her again. Not in a photograph on his desk or on his telly. Nor in a crowded stadium leagues away shared with millions of fans. She was here, she was _home_. Wrapped deeply within his arms with no intentions of letting go.

Galar can have their champion.

But…

Gloria was his.

And his alone.

* * *

Morning came as cruelly as it did. With the sound of a few rookidee chirping by the window, Gloria's eyes slowly fluttered open as she too was greeted by the early morning sun. Its rays basked the research lab in a golden glow, and by the look of the softly ticking clock, it would still be awhile before the rest of the lab's staff start their day.

Gloria yawned contently, before rolling over to snuggle against Hop's chest. The futon located on the lab's upper loft surely was meant for more…_academic_ _purposes_, yet Gloria couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of it all.

The best sleep she's had in weeks, no _months_, and it was in a makeshift bed with her boyfriend's arm as a pillow and his lab coat for a blanket.

She knew she should leave soon. Head quietly home and properly announce her homecoming in an appropriate manner, before she is abruptly discovered in the risqué position she's in. Not to mention Sonia would be bloody furious at Hop for…_misusing_ his overtime hours.

However, as soon as Gloria stirred the slightest in Hop's embrace, the man held her tighter in his sleep. Reluctant to let her go. And then…Gloria just couldn't help herself. The futon was too comfortable.

And Hop was so warm.

She fell back into his arms and watched him sleep, admiring the peaceful expression he held. Gloria smiled softly to herself as she lightly traced her fingers over his lips. Hop looked just like he always did when he slept, just like when they were kids. Careless and relaxed. When was the last time Gloria saw him like this awake?

For the past couple of months, she couldn't help but notice how tired Hop seemed lately. Whether it was immersing himself in his studies or working on his latest research project, Gloria worried when was the last time her boyfriend took a break. There had to be something on his mind, she knew Hop too well to realize when he was stressed about something.

But…stressed about what?

Gloria's heart grew heavy. She wished she could be home with him more, be more helpful with his research, and be around for all of his scientific breakthroughs. She didn't want to just hear about his day, but instead, _be a part of his day_. It hurt her that she had to be Champion of Galar first, and his girlfriend second.

And of course, there also was that guilt she's locked away years ago. The dark, terrible reminder that Hop's path once changed all because of her. That he is putting himself through all this stress, because of her. She knew him, Hop always puts 110% into what he wants. And this time, she can tell, he doesn't want to mess anything up.

Not this time. Not with this new dream.

Gloria's thoughts continued to spiral with a daze, until she felt a pair of legs tangle themselves up further into hers.

"Morning…" Hop sleepily muttered with a worn smile, kissing the side of her temple. Gloria sighed happily at the touch. Perhaps her thinking was a little too loud after all.

"Morning," She said, pecking him on the lips. He lingered as she pulled away.

"You can sleep more if you want, it's still early." She said but Hop just shook his head.

"That's okay," He blushed, before snuggling against her. "This is way better than any amount of sleep."

Gloria furrowed her brow. "But you still look so tired..." She said, "Have you been sleeping much at all?"

"Yeah, I mean, I just…had a lot on my mind lately." He looked away shyly. Gloria watched as his eyes darted from the lab then back to her.

"You can talk to me about it, if you want to that is."

Hop just smiled as he pressed his forehead against hers, breathing in happily. He pulled her closer in his embrace, sighing.

"Having you here is enough." He said, before leaning in closer with a kiss.

He nuzzled her closely against him, and Gloria couldn't help but feel the ticklish scratch of his shadowed cheeks.

"You're starting to get some scruff," Gloria broke the kiss with a giggle. Hop couldn't help but laugh as he rubbed against her.

"You don't like it?" He teased, nuzzling into her neck. Gloria shrieked with laughter as the feeling tickled her skin.

"N-No fair!" Gloria laughed, "I didn't come back for this torture!" And Hop only snorted at her response.

"Well, this is what you get for surprising me the way you did!" Hop teased back, before relenting his scruffy assault on Gloria's cheeks. The two laughed as they settled themselves back on the futon, Hop propping himself up on his elbows to look down at her.

"I would have welcomed you, um, _properly_." He scratched his head, "If I would have known you were coming home, I would have met you with flowers or at the station or-"

"And if I prefer this sort of welcome?" Gloria said coyly, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. Instantly, Hop knew her intentions.

"Then I wouldn't mind welcoming you again…" He devilishly leaned in to kiss her, further intertwining their legs. "And again," He pulled her close, "And again." And this time, he deepened the kiss. Slowly. Languidly. Gloria sighed, relaxing in his arms until…

There was the sound of a key unlocking the door.

Both Hop and Gloria froze.

"_Bloody hell!_" Hop swore from under his breath, quickly pulling away from Gloria and looking over the loft's railing. "Don't tell me Sonia is here this early!" His voice instantly became a harsh whisper, and Gloria pulled his lab coat closer to her.

"_Are you serious?" _She shrieked quietly, quickly looking around for her clothes scattered around them.

Hop looked over the loft's bannister and behind the potted plants that blocked them from the lab's main view. He paled at the sight of Sonia walking into the lab with a hum.

"_Shit," _Hop whispered, sitting up and looking for his pants. _"Shit, shit, shit!"_

Gloria was already half dressed, clothing untucked, hair array as she ducked behind a nearby bookshelf. Unfortunately, Hop wasn't as graceful. Struggling with his other pants leg, the man tripped and fell over the futon with a thump- its sound echoing throughout the lab.

Sonia looked up from the bottom floor with an eyebrow raised.

"Hop? Is that you?" She called out, removing her jacket and hanging it up on the nearby coat rack. She looked around, and although she didn't see anything, she definitely _heard _something.

"Don't tell me you are _still_ here?"

Hop bit back a swore. He got up fast and found Gloria's jacket, throwing it at her as he quickly fumbled himself together.

"Hop?" Sonia called out again, and he could tell she was getting deeper into the lab. Even worse, he heard Yamper scampering around as well. Quickly, he turned to Gloria with his fingers pressed against his lips. Throwing his own shirt on, he looked over the railing down to Sonia.

"H-Hey, Sonia!" Hop said, flustered. "Don't worry, it's just me up here!" He looked back to Gloria, who was already half a leg out the lab's window. Pokeball in hand, Hop figured she was going to call out her Corviknight at the right moment and duck out.

"Just you?" Sonia called back out in confusion, placing her hands on her hips. "Why wouldn't it be just you?"

"Um, uh..." Hop didn't know what to say, and quickly pulled himself together as he ran down the stairs to meet Sonia.

"Just an expression, mate!" He laughed sheepishly as he put his hands behind his neck.

Sonia gave him a weird look before turning away, heading over to the kitchen area for her usual morning tea. Hop sighed with relief, looking back up to the loft and then turning back to Sonia.

"I was up late going over the final draft for my thesis and-" Hop began, but then the sound of a persistent bark cut him off. His eyes widened as the sound came from the upper loft, he froze.

_Yamper_.

"What's that?" Sonia said, setting down the kettle. "Why's Yamper barking?"

"Oh, uh!" Hop quickly jumped in front of her, "I think he just smells the food I've stashed in my bag!"

Sonia raised her eyebrow as she tried to look over Hop's shoulder, but her assistant remained determined to block her view. Meanwhile, up in the loft, Gloria quickly tried to hush the small pokemon jumping on her leg. She was halfway on Corviknight's back and half dangling out the window, yet Yamper kept bouncing up and down with excitement. If this is how she was going to die, it wouldn't be falling from the second story. It would be from embarrassment.

"But I just fed Yamper not that long ago," Sonia persisted, trying to get past Hop. "He usually doesn't beg for food like that."

Hop panicked as Sonia backed him further into the lab, closer to seeing what was _actually_ going on in the loft. Looking up, he saw Gloria struggling through the lab's window as she climbed on top of Corviknight, hushing the small pokemon in front of her before finally flying off.

And just in time too.

Hop let out a huge sigh of relief as Sonia shoved her way past him, calling Yamper from the bottom of the steps.

"C'mon now," She called after her pokemon, "I'll treat you to some biscuits in a bit but not too much. You're getting a little too chubby!"

Yamper barked happily as it bounced down the steps to Sonia and Hop, bouncing up Hop's legs with enthusiasm. Hop tried to glare back for all the trouble that was caused, but failed miserably once Yamper stared up at him with its big eyes.

Giving in, Hop groaned as he picked up the pokemon before walking with Sonia to the kitchen. Dropping into the chair with a thud, Sonia tsked as she placed a fresh cup of tea in front of her assistant.

"Hop," Sonia sighed, taking her seat across from him. "You have to stop pushing yourself so hard. You've been pulling too many all-nighters for it to be healthy."

Hop leaned back in the chair, still recovering from all that just happened. He patted his cheeks to wake himself up, before sitting up to take a sip of tea.

"You look dead." Sonia said with a dead-panned expression. Hop groaned.

"It's just…" He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. "There's a lot on my mind. Not much I can do about it."

"Well," Sonia hummed to herself, sipping her tea nonchalantly. "You _could_ propose to Gloria already? That'll be one less thing to worry about."

Hop shot up with a jolt, causing Yamper to jump from his arms.

"_W-What?!"_ He cried out, face beat red. Of all the things he shared with Sonia, he absolutely had _no_ recollection on telling her _that_. "Who told you?!"

"I know everything." She smiled at him, yet Hop didn't seem amused by her joke. Thank Arceus Gloria escaped before she could hear any of this!

His mentor laughed as she took another sip of her tea, looking up at Hop with a mischievous look.

"Leon told me." She winked. Hop scowled as he banged his fist on the table.

"I knew I would regret telling Lee!" He cursed to himself, before crossing his arms.

"Oh, stop." Sonia said, "You look like a child."

Hop pouted at her, further proving her point. Sonia sighed once more as she rested her cheek in her hand.

"Hop, it's not like it's a surprise to anyone. You and Gloria have been dating for a while now and have been friends even longer than that. I'm actually surprised you haven't thought about this earlier."

"Really?" Hop said, "You don't think it's too soon?"

"Of course not!" Sonia scoffed, "If anything, it's a long time coming for you two. So…how are you going to do it?"

Hop shrugged.

"That's the thing…_I don't know_. I want it to be perfect, right? Gloria's the champion, she's amazing and everyone loves her. _I love her. _But…I feel like anything I do will just pale in comparison to everything she's already experienced."

Sonia softened her gaze, "I don't think that's necessarily true."

But Hop didn't entertain the thought. Gloria was Galar's national treasure, deserving of anything and everything. She deserved a proposal fit for a Champion…but he wasn't sure if he was even properly equipped to do it.

Hop shook his head.

"When the time is right, it'll happen." He said, "For now, I should be focusing on my thesis and getting my doctorate."

Sonia crossed her arms, nodding. "That's true. Your deadline is coming up…" And then she thought to herself for a moment. Suddenly, she struck up an idea.

"I'll cut you a deal." Sonia smiled, "I'll extend your deadline for you."

Hop's eyes went wide.

"Wow, Sonia! You would?" His face lit up, nearly knocking over his tea. "That would be incredible!"

"On one condition." She said, holding up a finger in front of him. Hop looked at her in confusion as she stood up and patted his head from across the table.

"Take some time off, spend it with your girlfriend, and go make her your fiancée." She said with a glimmer in her eye. Hop blushed furiously as she pulled him out of his seat.

Before he could even react to Sonia's conditions, she was already pushing him out the door.

"B-But-!" Hop stammered as Sonia threw his duffle at him.

"No buts!" She said, "You won't be able to focus on your work otherwise, and as your friend, no _your boss_, I forbid you from entering this lab until you put a ring on it!"

Hop stood there in the doorway of the research lab, looking his mentor right in the eye. He realized she was serious.

"Sonia," He said, a smile slowly starting to creep up on his cheeks. He looked at her with gratitude, and she smiled back. "How could I ever thank you?"

Sonia paused, putting a finger to her lips. She then looked at him with a glint in her eyes and Hop fought back a gulp. Her brow furrowed before she spoke next.

"Hmm, well for starters, you and Gloria can stop shagging in my lab!"

And with that, she slammed the door right in Hop's mortified face. He stood there, frozen in shock as his heartrate plummeted.

Sonia really did know everything.

* * *

As always, Gloria's homecoming was something to celebrate. Everyone in town instantly rushed to see her, and although Gloria insisted her time at home was for her family, she still tried to greet all her fans one by one.

Hop didn't mind. He knew the secret that the two shared, that he was the first one she came home to, and for that his heart felt full. Although he had to share her with Galar, he knew no one could take that away from him. In that, he was hers and she was his.

However, there was something particularly unusual about this visit. Instead of the attention usually focused on Gloria, Hop couldn't help but notice everyone's eyes looking at _him_. He groaned, knowing exactly the reason why.

It was bad enough he made the mistake of asking Lee about proposing and Sonia finding out. However, Hop realized everything got worse when he started to receive inquiries from Raihan, Piers, and _even Bede of all people _asking if he popped the question yet. Heck, there was even a message from Marnie asking if he needed Team Yell's assistance for the event.

Hop could only hide his embarrassment from the thought.

He just wanted to spend his time with Gloria these next couple of days, not worry about everyone's opinions on the ring he planned for her! It was eating at him, all this pressure, and the one person who could calm him down is the one person who can't know a thing.

_Gloria. _

"It's been awhile since I was at your house," Gloria said as the two walked hand in hand through Postwick, "I mean, _your mum's house_, since you moved into your flat and all." She chuckled.

Hop sighed, squeezing her hand tight. There was a weak smile on his face.

"You know I wouldn't mind us just having dinner there instead," He said, "That way we could eat, relax, and not worry about our mums badgering us."

Gloria rested her head on his shoulder, "Mmm, that sounds nice. But you know how much our mums love planning these dinners."

"Yeah, yeah I know." Hop groaned, fully aware of the true intentions in store for them. His family just wanted to pry as much as they could without spoiling the upcoming proposal, and knowing their mums, it was going to be relentless.

"And," Gloria whispered as they made their way to the front door, "We'll relax all you want later at your place." She winked.

Hop blushed. "Y-You serious?"

"Yeah," Gloria giggled with a shrug, "You know, _for dessert_."

And Hop felt like he was about to fall over right then and there.

Gloria took the initiative to knock as Hop pulled himself together, bracing himself for the storm ahead of him. The last person he expected to open the door was his older brother, smiling cheekily at the two.

"Ah, look who it is!" Leon smiled brightly, pulling the two in for a big hug. "My favorite Champion and Professor-to-be!"

"Lee? You're here too?" Hop blinked as they pulled away. His brother heartily slapped his shoulder.

"Of course I am! I missed you guys, and like I always said, Gloria is just like a little sister to me."

"You never said that. _Ever_." Hop hushed him, but Leon winked his way. Gloria obliviously smiled through it all.

"Ah true," He sighed, "But I guess there's no better time to start than today!"

Hop wanted to slap him.

"It's nice to see you, Leon. How are things at the Battle Tower since my last visit?" She asked, and immediately Leon turned his focus to her. Or more so, her hand.

"Oh, it's brilliant. We're planning some interesting strategies for some upcoming tiers that you should check out," He said, grabbing Gloria's hand to inspect it. Hop sweated, he was being so obvious!

However, Gloria misinterpreted what was going on and happily shook Leon's hand. "I'll look forward to it!"

And Leon laughed.

And Hop just wanted to die.

"Alright then!" Leon said, "Let's head on inside. Our mums have a roast going and it should be ready soon." And with a laugh, he joined their mums back in the house.

It took everything in Hop's will to keep himself together. Gloria noticed this and nudged his shoulder, urging him inside with her smile. Hop did his best to return it.

And throughout the dinner, as usual, Hop used everything from within him to maintain that smile. It was just…tough. His mum, and Gloria's mum in particular, were vicious.

"Gloria sweetie," Her mum said from across the table, "How are your travels lately? I hope you're taking care of yourself."

Gloria smiled, setting down her glass. "They're going great! I'm actually meeting with the champions from the Sinnoh and Hoenn region next month over some new gym ideas. I'm excited to hear their thoughts!"

Her mum nodded, "That's wonderful, dear! Just be sure to take it easy on the scheduling. You never know when life could throw you a curveball!"

Hop felt a jab in his chest.

"Oh mum, I'm fine," Gloria pouted, tossing her peas with her forks at the remark. "I can handle anything the league throws at me!"

"That's the spirit!" Leon said, "I have to say handing over the title to you, Gloria, was pretty easy. You still have that same gusto as when you were a kid."

"Ah yes," Their mum sighed, sipping her wine. "Kids. I miss having kids in the house."

Another jab at Hop.

Gloria looked over at her boyfriend, was he choking on his food?

Hop quickly cleared his throat. "So um, the new flat in Wedgehurst is working out great." He tried his best to change the topic, before it all backfired.

"That's great to hear, Hop." His mum smiled, before passing a glance over to Gloria's mum. "It's definitely a nice beginner space before you have to end up moving somewhere bigger."

Jab. Jab. Jab.

"Hey Hop," Leon said, noticing his brother suffocating from across the table. "Um…could you help me in the kitchen for a second?" He stood up with his plate.

Hop, feeling like he was about to burst, stood up from the table in a hurry. He nodded, and Leon took his brother back into the kitchen-leaving Gloria at the mercy of their mums.

"Everything alright, mate? You were kind of flustered in there." Leon asked, leaning against the counter. He looked at his little brother with a knowing look. Something was up.

"Ugh," Hop sighed, "I just can't take it, Lee. Maybe this was a bad idea thinking now was a good time to propose. There's just too much pressure to make things right."

"What?" Leon said, eyes widening. "Don't tell me you're going to back out?"

"N-No!" Hop grew red, "I mean, I just don't know if I can do it properly. All these expectations, and I'm afraid to let Gloria down." He sighed.

"Well," Leon thought for a moment, "You have to consider Gloria and no one else. Like how you can make this special for her, yeah? Tell me, when did you realize you loved her?"

The question struck Hop out of nowhere. He flustered as he felt the heat rise to his cheeks, scratching his head. Thinking about the memory brought butterfrees to his chest.

"When she beat me in the semi-finals all those years ago." Hop finally admitted, "It wasn't the victory or the loss or anything, it was her smile afterwards that did me in. I kinda realized…I wanted to make her smile like that again. _And again_."

The former champion grinned, "Then I have just the plan for you. Now listen up, this is what you're going to do…"

Meanwhile, Gloria carried a handful of plates as she made her way to the kitchen. Even though she was home visiting, she didn't mind offering to clear the table…plus, Hop seemed like he needed a helping hand.

She couldn't help but frown. She knew she was right ever since this morning, something definitely was bothering Hop. But what? Could he be having problems with his research? Is he worried about his doctorate?

Gloria wished he would just talk to her about this. Her heart weighed heavy thinking about any other alternative.

But…if he couldn't talk to her about some things…could it be…it's because of her?

She quickly came to a pause as she heard voices from the kitchen. Peaking out from around the corner, she saw Hop and Leon talking. Their voices low yet not low enough.

"I just don't know if I can do that to her…" Hop sighed, and Gloria peaked her brow.

"I know, I know." Leon patted his shoulder, "But think about how happy you'll be once all is said and done?"

Hop shrugged.

"Hop," Leon said, putting his hands on Hop's shoulders. "You can do this. This is all you ever wanted since you were just a kid, remember?"

Gloria's eyes widened. He couldn't be talking about…the championship? Her heart grew heavy as those old feelings of guilt shuttered from within her, unlocking themselves from its cage and slowly coursing through her veins. Could this be why Hop was so anxious? Is that why he was so nervous to talk to her?

"You have to stop worrying and just go for it!" And then Gloria watched as the older brother cheerfully patted his younger brother's back.

Gloria quickly left to return to the family table, leaving the plates on a nearby surface. As she sat down, an empty feeling started to creep up from within her chest.

If Hop wanted to take the Championship title, she shouldn't complain. She should feel happy and support him. But…those feelings of guilt twitched once more.

Because being the Champion made _her_ happy too.

What right did she have to keep the one she loved from his happiness…? Even if it meant preserving her own? She truly was a roadblock for Hop, even after all these years.

The friendly conversations continued on, without her, as she mindlessly sat there in her daze.

And then suddenly, she felt his hand from underneath the table.

She looked up and saw Hop had returned. And…he was smiling softly right at her. A precious moment just for her unbeknownst to the rest of their family. Gloria did her best to smile back.

And as she held Hop's hand from under the table, she couldn't help but think its weight was a little heavier than usual.

In a sense, like she truly was holding him down.

* * *

Part 2 will be up soon :)


	4. The Future (Part 2)

So sorry for the wait! The holidays and a cold got the best of me...but I hope you guys like this chapter! It's about 24 pages so enjoy the ride :)

* * *

For Gloria, the rest of the dinner went by in a blur.

For Hop, the hours could not go by quick enough.

As the two said their goodbyes that evening, Hop's hand remained intertwined with Gloria's as he walked her back to Wedgehurst. Back to his flat. Her heart fluttered as she caught Hop smiling at her, but she anxiously looked away. No matter how hard she tried to act nonchalant, Leon's words still rang in her ears.

"_You can do this. This is all you ever wanted since you were just a kid, remember?"_

She just couldn't shake it. The memory relapsed over again and again, eating away at her thoughts. By the time they came to the flat's entrance, however, Hop caught a glimpse of her fretted brow and leaned in close.

"Hey," He nudged her shoulder, "You alright?" And his face was so close Gloria's heart almost stopped. Before she could even think, she found herself leaning in for a kiss which he happily accepted.

A pleasant distraction.

"Just happy dinner is over with, that's all." She said with a soft smile and Hop chuckled as he pecked her once more on the lips.

"Same. We barely survived, but we made it ho-…I mean, we made it back." He pulled away as he dug for his keys, and by the looks of his face, it looked like there was something else he wanted to say.

Yet, he seemed too flustered to say it.

"…We made it home." Gloria said it for the both of them. When he heard her, Hop nearly dropped his keys at the lock.

He turned to her as she grinned at him, and as he grew to match her smile, Gloria too felt warm. His gaze alone was almost enough to make her forget about the guilt she carried.

Almost enough to forget what she overheard.

Hop's eyes didn't leave hers as he unlocked the door, opening it wide. A new surge of confidence swelled within him.

"Welcome home, Gloria." He said, pulling her close as they walked inside the small flat.

It wasn't much. But, to Gloria, it was everything she looked forward to. Consisting of a small living room, a modest kitchenette, and a door she assumed led to the bedroom…Gloria admired her surroundings.

"I know it's nothing like the Champion Suite back in Wyndon," Hop began as Gloria walked ahead to check out the space, "but once I get my raise as a professor, I'll be able to afford something more-"

"It's lovely." Gloria cut him off, turning back to him. "It's perfect, really it is."

And then she looked around the living room, taking in the random stacks of books on the coffee table, the old quilt draped over the couch, the little notes scribbled out on napkins, the reading glasses on the counter…everything around her that made it so cozy. Everything that made it so _Hop. _

There was no help in shaking the feeling…It all felt so right.

Gloria came to a pause as she removed her coat, looking around the space and back to Hop. He seemed anxious, fidgeting with his hands, as she looked over back to him.

She pouted her lips. A haze in her eyes.

"So…you're saying you come home by yourself, watch the telly by yourself, cook by yourself…"

She approached him, her fingers lacing up to toy with the collar of his jacket. Hop instantly pulled her closer to him, sighing.

"And sleep by yourself…" She breathed as his lips lingered just inches apart, their gaze half-lidded. "And…shower by yourself…?"

That did it. Before Gloria could utter another heavy sigh, Hop's lips consumed hers.

With a lift, he pressed her against the nearby wall to his bedroom door, groaning as her hands wandered. His skin grew flush at her touch, and Gloria could only groan as he returned the favor.

"Not anymore…" He muttered, deepening the kiss as Gloria wrapped herself around him. Finally, alone at last. No interruptions. No unwelcomed visitors. It was just them. Just her. Just him.

Just…

A vibration from Hop's pocket brought on a gasp from the two. Before they could even break away from each other, Hop's Rotomphone flew between their faces-buzzing wildly.

"Ignore that," Hop groaned as he clicked the phone away, sending it off and resuming their kiss. However, not a moment passed by before the device fluttered back in between them again, leaving Gloria to sigh reluctantly against Hop's lips.

"You should probably answer that," She chuckled. Hop grumbled as he leaned his head against the wall, the Rotomphone buzzing wildly by his side.

Gloria slipped herself out of his hold, "While you take care of that, I'll go slip into something more…comfortable." She kissed the side of his ear as she broke away, heading towards the bedroom. Hop's mouth went dry. His heart rate spiked.

Flustered and furious, he grabbed the Rotomphone and pressed it against his ear.

"H-Hello?!"Hop seethed quietly as he hurried over to the kitchen.

"_I'm brilliant. Everything is all set."_ Leon's voice chuckled on the other line.

"Lee?!"Hop gaped on the other end as he furthered himself into the kitchen, checking over his shoulder to the bedroom door and back.

"Lee, _I'm busy!_" Hop hurriedly hushed, "What are you talking about?"

"_The proposal?" _Leon said, dubious. _"I pulled some strings and booked everything for you. No need to thank me!"_ Hop could just picture his brother's cheeky smile and instantly panicked.

"W-Wait…" Hop's eyes widened, "You were serious about that? Lee, I'm not sure-"

"_Of course, I was serious!_" Leon sounded offended. "_You and Gloria realized your love for each other at Wyndon Stadium, on the battlefield in front of millions of people. What better way to propose than where it all started?" _

Hop had to hang on to the counter for support.

"Look I don't know…" Hop sighed, but his brother kept talking.

"_Don't sell yourself short, Hop."_ Leon said, _"When you propose to Gloria during the match, with millions of people there to cheer you on, there's no way she'd say no! Talk about a champion engagement!" _

"But," Hop sighed, "what if-"

"_No one comes? See that's where I'm brilliant. It's not a real exhibition match so I was able to make the tickets free to the public, so tomorrow when you two walk out on that turf-_"

"_T-Tomorrow?!"_ Hop nearly shrieked before catching himself, checking over his shoulder again.

"_It's going to be an ace celebration! But look, I have to go finalize some details with the league so I'll see you then! Cheers!" _

"No, Lee, wait-!"

But it was too late. With a click, Leon disconnected the call…leaving Hop completely agape as he stood there in shock. His breathing grew heavier. His palms sweatier. _Tomorrow?!_ The idea of rushing so soon to propose, the fact that he had less than 24 hours before he had to ask _the question_, and in front of millions of people?!

Hop clutched his chest. This was it. This was how he was going to die.

"Hop?" Gloria's voice was heard from behind.

Quickly, Hop tucked his Rotomphone away in a nearby drawer and turned around. Instantly, his cheeks grew red at the sight of Gloria, standing there, in nothing but _his_ t-shirt and _his _sweatpants.

Nope. Seeing her dressed like that, so innocently, _that was how he was going to die. _

"Is everything okay?" She tilted her head to the side, concerned.

"Um, yes, yes," Hop quickly shook his head, trying his best to pull himself together. "There's nothing to worry about."

She laughed nervously as she tugged on the shirt she wore, "I hope you don't mind I did some shopping."

Her boyfriend chuckled lightly.

"I far from mind." He said as he came up to her, pulling her in for an assuring embrace. Gloria breathed in happily from the contact, relaxing in his hold.

"I'm happy I'm here, it's been too long." She said, pulling away to look at him. Hop cupped her cheek.

"I'm happy you're here too. And to think we both have some time off to just enjoy it." Hop added as the two settled themselves on his couch. He wrapped them both in a blanket as Gloria rested her head on his lap, mindlessly playing with his hands as they watched the late-night telly.

"This is all I want to do." She sighed contently, looking up at him. "Just doing nothing…with you."

Hop smiled down at her as he tenderly brushed the bangs from her face.

"We can do that."

And he then continued to stroke her hair, enjoying this precious moment together. Some old movie was on, a show they used to watch as kids, yet Hop found himself paying more attention to_ her_ than the screen.

This was it. This is what he wanted. For the rest of his life, he wanted this. This, and nothing else.

It then came upon him that all it would take is one question, four words, and this would be his reality. Forever. Every day. But as the thought of uttering those words reached Hop, he couldn't help but shake it away.

No…everything had to be perfect for tomorrow. Just as perfect as this moment here.

He took in a long, deep breath.

"Hey do you ever…think about life after being Champion?" Hop asked quietly, bringing Gloria to a pause. She stopped playing with his hand and looked up at him, her expression curious.

Conflicted.

"Well…" She muttered, a sense of guilt in her voice. By the look in her eyes, Hop could tell, she looked distracted. Like she was thinking back on something.

Then she hesitated.

"I guess that's a little hard to think about. I don't know…I still hope I could be champion for just a little while longer." And by the tone of her voice, Hop couldn't understand why she sounded so guilty. He couldn't help it. The reluctance in her voice hurt just a little.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Hop murmured, "Nothing at all."

"But…I don't want to think about Champion stuff now." Gloria said as she put her arms around his neck, "I'd rather focus on other things."

And with that, she shook that hesitant expression from her face.

If Hop wanted to ease her into talking about the championship, that was on him. However, she knew one sure fire way to avoid that conversation. A way to forget about all the anxiety threatening to bubble from within her.

"Oh?" Hop smirked slightly as she leaned in to kiss him, a gesture he returned once more.

"That's not very champion-like…" He teased as their lips met again. Each one longer than the last.

"So?" Gloria sighed between kisses, "We have a lot of time to make up for, don't we?"

Hop groaned at her touch as she pulled him down to lay next to her.

"We do…"

The kiss grew deeper as Hop's hands drifted just barely underneath the hem of her shirt, lingering lightly along her waist. Rolling her over, he pinned her to the couch before pulling away a second to catch their breaths. In that moment, he brushed his nose gently against hers…asking for consent to continue.

Gloria nodded softly as she cupped his face and kissed him once more. Hop's hands continued their travels when…

An urgent alert buzzed from Gloria's Rotomphone. Hop groaned as, again, his head fell against the cushions of the couch.

"I'm going to lose it." He muffled into the pillow.

"Hold on," Gloria laughed as she sat up on her elbows, reaching for her device. "Let me just switch this off-"

But she came to a pause as she made contact with her screen, her eyes widening at the message before her.

"No way…" Gloria muttered.

"_Are you kidding me?!"_ She shot up from her position as she clutched the phone in both hands, reading the message again in disbelief.

Hop, too, sat up. He scratched his head, "What is it?"

Gloria sighed with frustration as she clicked the phone away, fluttering it to the side. "It's the Pokemon League. I was called for an exhibition match tomorrow…and it looks like I can't get out of it."

Hop jumped, sweating. "O-Oh…? Wow, uh, did they say who it was with?"

She sulked back down on the couch, disappointed. "No, it doesn't say. I guess they want it to be a surprise, so it creates some sort of challenge, or whatever."

Hop nearly choked as he did his best to hide his embarrassment. _If only Gloria knew. _

"Well…uh…" He didn't know what to say as his girlfriend scowled, the mood officially ruined.

"Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe it'll go by quick." He tried to cheer her up, but it didn't help Gloria as she groaned.

"I doubt it very much. Ugh, bloody hell! The one time I get to take time off and they go ahead booking a match."

She turned to Hop with a saddened expression, "I'm so sorry…I didn't mean for this to happen. You must think I'm a lousy girlfriend for leaving you so soon."

"N-No…not at all…" But his words had no effect.

Hop's heart sank. He wanted to tell her not to worry, that it's not what she thinks it is, but he was left powerless as Gloria snuggled up against him. She looked sad, like somehow, she disappointed him, but it was only further from the truth. In the end, all he could do was wrap the blanket tightly around her.

To be fair, he didn't mean for this to happen either.

* * *

Neither of them slept well that night.

Before her alarm even rang, Hop surprised Gloria with a fresh cup of tea while they packed their travel bags for Wyndon. Yet, there was something off about him as they made their way to the nearest flying taxi station. Just by looking at his tired eyes and weary smile, Gloria could see how anxious Hop was. As if something was bothering him and he was trying to do whatever he could to distract her from that fact.

"Couldn't sleep much either?" Gloria remarked as Hop nervously fidgeted with his own bag. He could only laugh weakly as they settled into the cab.

"Barely," He forced out a chuckle, "Nothing to be worried about though, love."

Gloria didn't believe his tone for a second.

During the ride over, she watched as her boyfriend anxiously tried to keep himself occupied when they took flight. Like there was something he tried to shake far from his mind but couldn't. She did her best to hold back a sigh before grabbing his hand in hers, stroking her thumb lovingly over his own.

"You're going to shake the cart if you keep bouncing your leg like that," She chuckled as she watched Hop's face bloom a bright pink. He tried to swat away the remark, distract her with some other topic, and continue on with the rest of the trip like nothing was wrong.

But something was wrong.

There had to be something wrong.

Guilt pitted itself deep within Gloria's stomach as she continued stroking his thumb. His palms were sweaty. Shaky. She knew him for too long to realize something was bothering him, and well, her heart grew just a little bit heavier now that she knew the reason why.

"_Hey do you ever…think about life after being Champion?"_

If the conversation she overheard wasn't enough, his question last night confirmed everything. What did he mean life after being champion? Her mind couldn't help but wonder if he was just trying to ease the blow for the day he challenges her again. Hop was terrible at secrets, he always carried that sort of guilt with him, and right now it was showing.

She didn't blame him however…watching yet another champion battle from the sidelines was probably the last thing Hop wanted to do. It would just be another terrible reminder for him.

And for her.

This exhibition match came at the wrong time. Like she needed yet another wake up call she's the one holding him back from his dream.

And with that thought, the taxi ride came to a stop as the two made their landing right in front of Wyndon Stadium. Gloria took in a deep breath as Hop opened the door for her and let out a breathy smile.

"Ready?" She said as she squeezed Hop's hand and jumped out of the cart. Hop couldn't resist a gulp before smiling along.

"Ready." He said, squeezing her hand right back.

But…Hop was far from ready.

His heart was racing. His pulse was rapid. And oh no, why was there so much fanfare in the street? Confetti. Merchants. Banners. _Did Lee set all of this up too?!_

Gloria let go of Hop's hand with a smile as she did her best to wave to the crowd before them. However, the sounds of trumpets blaring and ruffing stirred her attention to the sight of Team Yell…in all their glory. Blowhorns and all.

Hop wanted to die.

"That's odd these blokes are here…" She whispered to him with a nudge, "Do you think Marnie called the match for today or something?"

Hop couldn't say anything due to the fact his chest was about to explode. He didn't think Marnie was serious about offering Team Yell's help, but then again, he doubted she had little influence in persuading the group otherwise.

"_You got this, mate!" _One of them screamed their way.

"_Team Yell will yell your way to happily e'r after!"_

"That's a new one…" Gloria awkwardly waved to them as her and Hop entered into the complex.

There wasn't a moment to breathe between the two of them as hundreds of people cheered at their entrance. Gloria smiled and waved. Hop nearly fell over at the sight of Leon, Raihan, and well pretty much _the entire Pokemon League _there to greet them.

Before he could even process or question anything, Leon pulled them in for yet another huge hug.

"You made it!" Leon cheered, patting their backs.

"Of course we did," Hop glared at his brother, pulling away, "but it seems like the rest of Galar did too."

His eyes then grew wide around him. Flowers. _There were flowers everywhere in the stadium._ Suddenly, his mouth felt dry.

Very dry.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world!" Raihan popped up beside them with his Rotom, slapping Hop's back as he snapped a quick surprise selfie. Gloria laughed nervously, thoroughly confused.

"This seems a little too much for an exhibition match," She looked around, "Did I miss a memo that the entire league will be here today or something?"

"Details, details." Leon tsked, "It's not uncommon for the league to get together and watch the Champion battle in the off-season. Have I taught you nothing, Gloria?" And by the looks of his cheeky smile, Gloria could only nod slowly as she tried to process what he said. Did he just wink at Hop?

"You have a point there…" She muttered as she turned back to the crowds. They were cheering for her, that was a given, but there was something just…off.

"I wonder who I'll be up against if it's causing this much of a stir."

Hop froze at her remark as both Raihan and Leon tried their best not to snicker. Gloria raised an eyebrow, before catching sight of Marnie appearing from the press.

The sight of her friend was reassuring to say the least, but Gloria jumped when Marnie grabbed hold of her arm.

"There you are. We're behind schedule." She said flatly. Gloria faltered as she looked at Hop, who appeared just as flustered.

"W-What-?" Gloria began but Marnie hushed her.

"I'm sure there's nothin' to worry 'bout." The Spikemuth Gym Leader swatted away any concerns, calm and collected as ever. "You handled way worse than this lot, don't let this ruckus intimidate you."

She paused, took one long stare at Hop, before turning to Gloria.

"…But we better get this show on the road. The stadium is already packed, and we don' wanna keep them all waiting."

The champion nodded. Now that Marnie mentioned it, she could practically feel the pulse of the crowded stadium. It was best to just get on with it.

"_P-Packed?"_ Hop stammered.

Gloria looked over at him and smiled his way.

"Well, I guess I'll see you in the stands. Cheer extra loud for me, okay?" She whispered as she gave him one final hug.

Hop barely had time to register the touch, still frozen on the thought that the entire stadium was _packed_. Slowly, his arms wrapped around her when he realized _this was it._

He squeezed her tight, unwilling to let her go and face what he was about to face. What _they _were about to face. It was then Gloria who ultimately pulled away, more so by Marnie, as she left for the locker room.

Leaving Hop there in his panic.

"Oh man," Raihan said as he happily began updating his social media, "This is going to be wicked."

Meanwhile, Hop ran his hands down his face. He took in a deep breath before harshly breathing out. All the anticipation. All the excitement. This was starting to be too much…

"Lee,_ why_?" Hop groaned in his hands, before snapping up to stare at his brother. _"_I can't do this, not like this." He shook his head.

"You'll be fine, little bro, take it easy." Leon put his arm around his shoulders., "The stadium is all set for the proposal. When the match gets going, all you have to do is get down on one knee and be done with it."

"But-" Hop began to protest, but Raihan cut him off.

"You can do this, mate." He said, pulling out the selfie he took. "You can do this for her."

And Hop's eyes grew fixated on the photo before him. Of Raihan smiling at the camera and Hop's surprised expression. But, more importantly, of Gloria still smiling in the background of the photo. Amidst the chaos and the flowers…she was there despite it all. She was there making an effort through it.

Hop took in a deep breath, before nodding.

He can do this.

Hop's hand hovered over the weight in his pocket.

For Gloria, he can do this for her.

* * *

An uneasy feeling lingered in the Champion locker room.

Or, at least, that's what Gloria thought as she absentmindedly ran her fingers over her pokeballs. Garbed in her champion attire, she sat impatiently at her dresser while she waited for her cue to head out to the field. Yet…a battle plan was far from her mind.

Marnie leaned against the doorframe, not impressed by the pout on her lips.

"Somethin's bothering you." Marnie remarked, not a question but a fact. Gloria sighed, stopping the motion of her fingers.

"Is it that obvious…?" Gloria muttered, looking up into the mirror and at Marnie's reflection behind her.

Marnie pulled away from the doorframe and approached her friend, crossing her arms.

"Big time." Her old rival shook her head, "You can read it clearly on your face. You don't want to be 'ere right now."

Gloria scoffed. That was a given.

"No one likes their vacation cut short." Gloria sighed, before pausing. She turned away from the mirror and looked over at Marnie, eye to eye. Friend to friend.

"I gather you're not the one challenging me today." Gloria stated. Marnie blinked at her, before slowly nodding.

"Correct. I wouldn't be allowed in the Champion lockers, otherwise." She said, before raising an eyebrow.

"Is that what's gettin' you all irked up?" She asked. Gloria hesitated with her response.

"No…I mean…" She sighed, running her hand through her hair. Her eyes couldn't stay in one place for too long as she looked around the room, trying to find the words.

"If you're not the one challenging me, then who is it?" Gloria bit her lip.

"It's not for me to say." Marnie replied with enough reason for Gloria to lock eyes on her.

She paused.

"So, you know then."

Marnie didn't hesitate to nod.

"Tell me." Gloria spoke up, but Marnie shook her head.

"You just said that it wasn't what bothered you." The gym leader said, before furrowing her brow. "And me tellin' you isn't going to make you feel better. As your friend, what _will _make you feel better is tellin' me what's actually going on."

Gloria hated that she was right. It wasn't like Marnie to fall for any kind of lie.

Lowering her gaze down to her hands, Gloria sighed. Words never did come easy for her.

"As my friend then, tell me, what would you do if you feel like you're holding someone back?" And just like that, it all spilled out of Gloria's mouth. The guilt. The anxiety. The fear.

A silence lingered between the two woman, so much so that the echoes of the stadium could be heard from the outside. Marnie blinked and watched as Gloria looked up at her in defeat.

Finally, Marnie spoke.

"…I would let 'em go." She said. And her response brought on a pang in Gloria's heart.

Her words were like tiny shockwaves to her very core. Gloria faltered and looked away. The very idea of doing just that…letting go of the championship or letting go of Hop…it hurt way too much to consider.

"And what if you can't?" She carefully chose her words, "what if letting go isn't that easy? Even though holding on is just as selfish?"

Marnie raised her brow. "Gloria, are you talking 'bout…?"

She shook her head, reconsidering what she was about to say. Instead, Marnie sighed.

"If you can't let go, then you have to give 'em every opportunity to catch up." Her eyes narrowed, "You have to let 'em fight for it with everythin' they got."

Another pause lingered before Marnie spoke again.

"Gloria, if you love him, you'll let him fight for it."

Marnie watched as Gloria's head snapped up to face her, her eyes wide.

"How did you-?" She began with a stuttering breath, before the sound of a buzzer ripped through the locker room. Both trainers looked up from the cue as a league member came into usher Gloria out to the field.

That uneasy feeling hit Gloria once more. It was time.

"Like I said in the lobby, you handled worse than this lot." Marnie patted Gloria's shoulder as she readied herself for her entrance. Gloria looked at her wearily, and in typical Marnie fashion, she winced.

"Please don't make me do it." Marnie said.

Gloria stammered a small laugh. "Do what?"

"Smile." Marnie said, the corners of her lips twitching.

And it worked. Gloria's cheeks cracked into a smile as the doors to the pit opened, the fanfare of the crowds overcoming the sounds of the arena.

"Marnie," Gloria chuckled as she quickly hugged her friend before stepping out onto the light of the stadium.

"…Thank you."

* * *

Hop didn't think he would ever find himself back in the battling pits. Waiting. The crowds around him rumbled and cheered, their shouts bouncing off the walls and reverbing right into his very core.

However, it was nothing compared to the pounding in his chest. To the hallow echo in his ears. To the fight or flight response threatening to kick in.

"_It's the moment you have all been waiting for, ladies and gentlemen! The night of destiny!"_

Of all the voices Hop expected, Leon as the match's MC was not one of them. Then again, he wasn't even surprised. The arena cheered in anticipation as Leon's image took over the screen, his smile wide and bright.

"_Now turn your gaze to the Galar region's greatest Pokemon Trainer, your undefeated Champion…It's time for Champion Gloria's exhibition engagement!"_

Hop wheezed. He really had to use that particular phrase, didn't he?

The roar of the crowd was deafening as fireworks shout out into the sky, flittering sparks amongst the stadium. In the haze of smoke, Gloria stepped out and appeared onto the field…eyes fierce and determined.

A Champion's gaze.

Hop paused as he looked out to her from the shadows. She was stunning in her champion jersey, adorned in gold with her fluttering cape. It suited her perfectly, just as a princess in the spotlight would, and he just couldn't tear his eyes away. Every time he sees her like this…it just never gets old.

She was breathtaking.

Gloria smiled and waved to the crowd, the arena going wild as she greeted her fans.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice! Together, let's make this match a glorious victory!" Her voice was proud, determined. As usual, the crowd ate it up and Gloria waved triumphantly back.

That was one of the many things Hop loved about Gloria. She genuinely cared for everyone in the crowd, how she wanted to support them just as much as they supported her. It wasn't just about the name or title, but the heart behind it all. It's what made her, _her_.

"_A glorious day for a glorious champion!"_ Leon boomed throughout the arena, _"And with such glory comes a change in tide, a challenger appears! Everyone turn your attention over to our mystery competitor…" _

And it was a whirlwind from there.

Walking out onto the field for the first time in years, the rush of adrenaline spiked through his veins as he became reacquainted with this feeling. The feeling of the crowd cheering, the feeling of his pokemon at this belt…it all happened so fast.

Yet it paled in comparison to the feeling of the ring's weight in his pocket…to the rapid beating of his heart as Gloria had yet to turn around and see it was him.

Her challenger.

The noise of the stadium bounced off Hop's ears as everything from within him slowed down, right to the moment where Gloria turned unexpectedly to face him.

As if in slow motion, her champion mask fell the moment her eyes met his.

He had no words to say. Even if he wanted to say something, his tongue froze the moment Gloria looked at him in disbelief. Trying to form a word, any word, Hop parted his lips but nothing was said.

"…_Hop?"_ And yet Gloria's voice betrayed her as well. Her eyes betrayed her. Every inch of her body betrayed her as she stared on at him in shock, wavering.

"It's you…" Gloria's eyes widened before her as Hop gulped nervously. Suddenly, her brow furrowed as she clenched her teeth. _"It's you." _

Well, that wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

"_An old rival appears!" _Leon cried out as the crowd went wild.

Words! Words! Why couldn't he form any words?! He looked at her and sheepishly smiled, shrugging. It was the best he could do in the situation…before Gloria took a step closer to him.

"You're the one challenging me?" She asked, whispering so no one else could here. "Why would you…?"

And she stopped herself before she could finish her sentence. Suddenly…her face fell in confliction.

Looking at him, she paused as she processed the look on Hop's face and where they were at. It didn't take long for her to then close her eyes and let out a deep breath.

"I understand," She said, opening her eyes to look at him. "I understand completely."

"G-Gloria…" Finally, some words. Hop's hand fidgeted against his pocket, searching for the ring, but his hand was shaking. So much so that he couldn't quite grasp the jewelry box that caused this whole mess!

Gloria started to back away.

"W-wait…hold on…" Hop struggled, but the crowd was too loud. His voice was nothing but a stammer as Gloria couldn't hear what he was saying.

Instead, Gloria flashed him a fierce smile, before she jumped back to her spot on the field.

"Alright! I'm going to make you fight for it then!" And the crowd went wild at her response, chanting and screaming her name. Hop's heartrate plummeted.

_Shit. _

In his eyes, the distance between him and Gloria grew as the stadium erupted into the excitement of battle. Gloria went to her side as Hop went to his, sweating.

This wasn't a part of the plan, that's for sure. But now…Hop had no choice but to just role with it. Music flared up throughout the arena, and now, it truly was fight or _fight_.

He patted his cheeks. He had to do this. He had to do this for _her_.

"_Oh!" _Leon announced, _"And it looks like a battle is underway!"_

As Hop settled himself onto his side of the field, he winced as he looked up to the MC booth. Leon and Raihan waved enthusiastically from behind the glass, each with a huge grin on their face. Raihan gave a huge thumbs up with his Rotomphone recording every detail. Leon pulled out a sign that only Hop could see, something that said…_Make Babies?!_

Hop choked.

Suddenly, and just in time, Sonia appeared from behind the duo and slapped Leon on the back of the head. Effectively knocking the sign out of his hands…bringing some sort of relief to this nightmare.

Hop gulped, turning his eyes back to Gloria. She looked rattled, determined, and absolutely _relentless. _ Not at all the way he wanted things to be.

That moment, he knew, this nightmare was far from over.

"_Get ready!"_ Leon called out as the two trainers reached for their pokeballs. Hop's hand fidgeted from the pocket where the ring was to the pokemon on his belt. Even if he got down on one knee now, it wouldn't mean anything. Gloria would be too caught up in the wind of battle to even notice.

Hop had no choice but to find a break in the battle to get through to her. Grabbing onto a pokeball, Hop gritted his teeth.

_And the only way he could do that was to fight._

"Dubwool, let's go!" He called out as he sent his partner pokemon onto the field. The crowd cheered in applause as Hop's image flashed on the mega-screen, but it didn't last long.

Gloria smirked.

"Let's go, Ludicolo!" She called out, throwing her ball confidently as the lotus pokemon emerged from its glow.

As soon as the pokemon emerged, Gloria called for Rain Dance to swamp the stadium as the pokemon danced and jived its moves into action. Hop winced, he knew exactly what strategy she was aiming for.

In retaliation, Hop gave out his first order.

"Dubwool, use Cotton Guard!"

If this was how she was going to fight, Hop needed to stay in the game long enough for him to have a chance. It was the only way he could get through to her.

"Predictable!" Gloria jested from across the field, "But I bet you know what comes next! Ludicolo, use Hydro Pump!"

And thanks to the rainstorm from above, the attack's speed was swift as Ludicolo locked on and blasted Dubwool away. The crowd went wild as Hop's score plummeted, and the man could only wince at the attack.

Ludicolo, however, didn't break a sweat and thanks to the power boost from the rain…didn't need to wait a turn to recharge. He had to act fast!

"Dubwool, Double-Edge!" The command slipped out of Hop's tongue before he could even process it. His eyes widened, wait not Double-Edge! _Double-Kick!_

But the damage was already done. Dubwool charged forward recklessly at Ludicolo, damaging the pokemon yet taking on a huge chunk of damage in recoil. The crowd whooshed at the mistake as both Hop and Gloria watched Ludicolo recover…and Dubwool faint from the effort.

"_Bloody hell,"_ Hop groaned as he called Dubwool back into its ball. He knew better than to use such a reckless attack with low health, but he wasn't thinking straight. After all, he didn't plan for a battle. _He didn't plan for any of this! _

Gloria shook her head at him from across the way.

"Rookie move, love!" She called out; her eyes still wide at how easy the fight was. Hop furrowed his brow at her. Her guard was still up, now was still not the time. He had to endure.

He had to keep going.

"I'm not going to make the same mistake this time, _love_." He called right back out to her, gripping his next pokemon. The crowd almost swooned at the pet names but Hop barely paid any mind to it. This was about Gloria. _Not about them._

"Snorlax, let's go!" He threw out another ball, the large pokemon emitting from its capsule in a sparkling light.

Gloria smiled.

"So that's your plan," She murmured as she called Ludicolo back into its ball, "Then I'll match it! Go, Espeon!"

At a glance, it seemed like an unlikely matchup for the champion yet Hop knew her game. He had too many battles with Gloria in the past to realize she planned to use Snorlax's size against it, and this time he wasn't going to slip up.

The battle between the two was longer, with Espeon using its psychic attacks to lift and tackle the heavy pokemon. It was a struggle for sure, but this time, Hop was close. Espeon was down to half its health and he knew if he could at least knock out _one _of Gloria's pokemon, then he could throw her off with the proposal and end this fight.

But…it was all too good to be true.

"Espeon, use Sing!" Gloria commanded, throwing Hop off guard.

_Sing? Since when did her Espeon know Sing?! _

Snorlax took the bait, almost too readily, as it succumbed to the temptation of slumber. With that, there was no hope for Hop as Espeon charged with another psychic attack…effectively ending his second pokemon.

Before Hop knew it, he was down to his last pokemon for the match while Gloria still held a full team. Looking across the way, he saw the scowl on her face. How her grip on her last pokeball tightened.

In this moment, Gloria knew she shouldn't be surprised. After hearing what she heard, after seeing what she saw, she knew a day like this would come. However…the sting of betrayal swelled inside her as Gloria allowed her own guilt to rattle once more.

Why couldn't he talk to her about this?! Why, all of a sudden, the big show? And more so, throughout it all, why is he still holding back?

This wasn't the Hop who could put up a fight.

Gloria clenched her teeth as she reached for her pokeball. Of all things she needed, she certainly didn't need Hop's pity. Not if she was the one with the title!

He was making careless mistakes, almost giving her the win, and she wasn't going to have it. If he wanted the championship so badly, he should give it his all and stop holding back!

"Cinderace, let's finish this!" Gloria cried out, unleashing her partner pokemon to the delight of the crowds. The rabbit pokemon showboated its way onto the arena, crying out to Hop who had one last chance to get through to her.

His only chance.

"_W-woah this match sure took a sudden turn…!" _Leon tried to cover the shock in his voice, but it was evident as it rang throughout the arena.

Hop looked up to the MC booth once more and everyone inside through their hands up at him. The look on each of their face's asking what the hell he was waiting for. But still, as Hop's hand hovered over the ring, he froze and quickly reached for another pokeball.

"Rillaboom, let's go!" Hop called out, unleashing his starter pokemon into the final fray.

Gloria cocked her eyebrow at him before smirking. Hop did his best to maintain his composure.

This wasn't how he wanted to do this. As the crowds cheered and chanted for Gloria, as Cinderace showboated across the field, this wasn't how he pictured their engagement at all.

Hop clenched his teeth.

"Rillaboom, we have one last shot at this! It's time to Dynamax!" He cried out, unleashing his band for the stadium to see. The arena erupted in cheers as the pokemon succumbed to the magical energy on the field…and enlarged itself on the stage.

Gloria smiled, grabbing Cinderace's pokeball as well.

"Exactly what I had in mind." She said, "Cinderace! Let's show them a true blaze! Dynamax!" And in equal turn, Cinderace jolted back into its ball before erupting itself to its fiery height.

The screech it let out was enough to pump up the crowds. Flames swelled by its feet, charging up the sides of the stadium, and Hop watched as the flames flickered in Gloria's eyes.

His heart sank as he saw her, too caught up in the battle, too caught up in the energy from the audience, to even realize that _he _was trying to do.

"Any last words?" She called out, readying her final blow. Her expression was fierce as she gazed at him then suddenly…she spoke again. This time her tone was soft-hearted, steady.

"…_Before we go home?" _

He froze at her words.

_Home_.

Looking down to the ring in her pocket to the battle on the field, Hop realized that's where they belonged. _Home. _That's where he wanted to propose to her. _Home. _That's who she was. She wasn't his competitor; she was his home. And her to him. Forever. Always.

His heart raced. That was it…that was the moment!

"Let's do this!" Hop cried out. Rillaboom readied itself as the entire stadium leaned in, the moment they've all been waiting for. But Hop didn't care about them. He didn't care about the show anymore.

All he cared about was Gloria. And what she truly, truly wanted.

"Max Overgrowth!" Hop commanded. The crowd gasped in recoil. It was a suicide move against a fire-type, that everyone knew, and Gloria frowned from across the field.

"Max Flare!" She retaliated, launching her arms out for Cinderace to follow. The giant rabbit pokemon kicked its legs up in a fiery blaze, hitting the grass-type pokemon head on in the chest. Rillaboom's knockout was explosive as Hop just stood there in its wake, his hands clutched around its pokeball. Ready to just get it over with.

The smoke cleared then amidst the field as Hop recovered his pokemon. Gloria did the same, waving to the crowds happily with another victory on her belt.

Yet…as Hop looked over at her he was stunned by the impassive expression on her face.

"_And…"_ Leon paused, before quickly shouting, _"There goes the battle! Another victory for our Champion, Gloria! A surprising but exciting…err match!" _

"Brilliant match, love." Hop sheepishly smiled as he went to kiss her cheek. Gloria, however, accepted it but only shook his hand in return. He couldn't help but notice how frigid Gloria's grip was.

"Thanks." Her tone was blank, solid.

Chills coursed through Hop's veins at her response. As the crowd cheered for them once more, they walked out hand in hand from the turf. Once they were off the field and into the shadows of the pits, Hop felt like he could finally breathe again. That is until-

_WHAM!_

Gloria shoved him forcefully against the wall of the pit.

"W-Woah!" Hop called out as Gloria stared at him with a furious glare.

"_What the bloody hell was that, Hop?"_ Gloria scowled, livid. "You think it's fun to just take a piss on an exhibition match?!"

She looked at him right in the eye. Completely unnerved. _And pissed. _

"W-What?" Hop gasped out as he recovered, _"What!?"_

He too got angry as he brushed the sore spot on his arm, steadying his feet.

"I didn't take the piss out there!" He gestured back to the field, "All I wanted to do was-!"

"What?" Gloria mocked his tone, "Bumble like a Round 1 Gym Challenger on the field and ruin our vacation?"

Hop stared on at her in disbelief.

"I did this for you." He slowly said, eyes wide. "All of that. _I did that for you_."

Gloria crossed her arms and blinked obnoxiously at him. "You thought I _wanted_ you to throw the match? To make it easy for me to keep my title?"

Hop stared at her in confusion. He tried to reach out to her, but she swatted his arms away.

"Gloria, listen-"

However, all Gloria did was throw her hands up in the air.

"It's fine, Hop, I get it." She backed away from him, "But seriously? You have to stop holding yourself back for the sake of me. It's so frustrating!"

"What are you talking about?" Hop called out to her, but it was too late. Gloria just scowled at him and turned away.

"You don't need me to get in your way! _Just…just leave me alone_!" She cried out, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. With that, she ran off into the shadowed corridors of the stadium.

"Gloria!" Hop tried to call out for her, his eyes wide. "Gloria, wait, _come back_!"

But it was too late. Hop tried to keep up with her, but she was gone by the time he made it back to the lockers. Breathing heavily, Hop looked around in a panic for her before pulling out his phone. He dialed her number in a frenzy, but it went straight to voicemail.

"_Fuck." _Hop said as he anxiously tried again, but got the same result. He looked around anxiously, "_Fuck! Shit! Fuck!" _

"Hop, what the…" Leon appeared beside him, arms out in disbelief. "What the hell was that out there?"

Hop glared at his brother, his blood boiling.

"_I tried!_ I really tried, okay?!" He lashed out, "But look at what happened! Gloria thinks I hate her or something and now she just disappeared!" Hop shook his head, "Everything is going to pot…"

"Gloria's missing?" Leon blinked, "Since when?"

"Since now!" Hop stomped his foot in frustration. He anxiously ran his fingers through his hair, trying his best to steady his breathing. "Aw man, I fucked up Lee. _I fucked up big time._"

Leon put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Calm down, calm down. It'll be fine, don't worry."

It was anything but fine though. Hop tried his best to steady himself but to no avail. His mind started to race. What if Gloria really meant what she said back there? That she wanted him to leave her alone? He didn't understand, he just didn't understand. How could he go from being the happiest man alive to _this _in the span of 24 hours?!

"What the hell happened?" Sonia ran up to them, catching up to the pair of brothers.

"Hop and Gloria had a fight." Leon said, trying to ease Hop's breathing. Sonia's brow fretted at the sight, before instantly turning her glare onto Leon. Suddenly, she smacked him upside the head once more.

"_Ow!" _Leon winced, rubbing his head. "What was that for?!"

"For meddling in their affairs!" Sonia pouted, putting her hands on her hip.

She then let out a frustrated sigh, "Look, I know you wanted to help them but even I admit I thought this was too much. You mean well, but this probably wasn't the best fit for them."

Leon pouted as he looked the other way. "I guess you're right…"

"S-Sonia," Hop stammered, "Don't blame it all on Lee. Even I thought I could do it but…_I just couldn't_ and now Gloria is mad at me."

Sonia looked at him wearily, "You did the right thing. Imagine how much more stressed out Gloria would be if you _did _propose to her on the field? With all those people watching? That's a little too much pressure to put on someone."

She then patted Hop's shoulder, a soft smile on her face. "In a way, you protected her from that and I'm proud of you."

Hop gaped at her, "You think?"

His mentor nodded, before getting serious. "But now Gloria is confused, and you have to set the record straight. No one else can set this up but you. You have to fix this."

"But how?"

"You have to think Hop," Sonia said, "If you were Gloria, where would you go?"

_Where would he go?_ What a strange question to ask. Hop crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to put himself in Gloria's shoes. At that moment, a giant glow of light emitted itself from Hop's belt as Zacian appeared amongst the group. Hop jumped at the sight of his companion, who nudged its nose somberly against his shoulder.

"What's the matter?" Hop began, looking deep into Zacian's eyes. "Do you have an idea on where Gloria went? "

The sword guardian stared deeply into Hop. As he looked into the pokemon, a sudden tingle was sent down his spine. Almost like an instinct. A born feeling. A time where, he too, once chased down and found a friend in need.

"I know where she went." He murmured to himself as he stroked Zacian's mane. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he perked up. _"I know where she went!"_

And with that, Zacian barked happily as Hop ran out of the stadium. Without any care of concern for who saw him or who stood in his way.

"Hop, wait!" Leon cried out as he noticed something small and tiny fall from his pocket. He bent down and picked up the item, only to gape at what it was.

"Oh man…" Leon said as he held up the ring box. Sonia's eyes widened as, she too, noticed what was left behind.

"_Isn't he going to need that?"_

* * *

Night started to settle upon the Slumbering Weald as the sunset started to fade into a soft dusk. Pokemon retreated to their slumber while others jostled in rise of twilight, yet not a creature stirred amongst the ancient ruins that blessed the land. The very ruins that Gloria stood in front of.

She stared, fixated, at the shrine before her.

A few steps behind, Zamazenta paced diligently to guard its mistress. Every once and a while the beast would settle its muzzle amongst her shoulder for a reassuring pat. To make sure she was going to be okay.

Gloria wearily smiled as she gently scratched the beast's ears before it resumed its guard, gruffing in turn as Gloria turned her gaze back to the shrine.

It was quiet here. A place where she could think. A place where she could be alone.

Her heart grew tight as a much heavier guilt settled upon her. Placing her hand on her chest, Gloria's eyes softened at the day's events. What kind of person was she? Going off on Hop like that? The pained look in his eyes haunted her as she shoved him and yet…her mind still remained cloudy.

As confliction set in.

She had every right to be mad. To be furious with him. It was hard enough on her that she was a roadblock for his dreams, but the fact that he purposefully threw the match because he didn't want to upstage her? That's where she drew the line.

She realized no matter what she does, Hop would always hold himself back.

And it killed her knowing she was the reason why.

The stars from up above flickered softly as she watched leaves fall from their branches and cascade into the waters rippling below. She folded her arms around her torso, it was getting chilly, but she couldn't bring herself to leave just yet.

There just wasn't enough courage to face it all.

Gloria clenched her teeth in frustration. How could everything go so wrong so fast? She didn't want to be in this position. She didn't want to have to feel so much guilt. She didn't want to be alone.

_She was lost. _

"…_Gloria!"_ Hop's voice called out to her. Gloria froze as she looked up from her thoughts and turned around. Her brow furrowed at the sight.

_Hop._

He was running towards her, out of breath, with Zacian at his side. In an instant, Zamazenta jumped in front of her defiantly-fully sheathed and on guard to protect its mistress. Its howl sent Hop fumbling back to the ground, at the mercy of the beast before Zacian rushed in before him.

The two heroic pokemon just stared at each other, growling, communicating, as they locked on their sword and shield. Neither of them let up their guard.

Hop looked up and over Zacian's shoulder, past Zamazenta, and over to Gloria.

"Gloria…" He got up on his feet, "Gloria, please, don't be like this." His tone was soft, weak, pleading.

She could only breathe in heavily as she stared at him, before defiantly turning back around with crossed arms.

"You didn't have to find me." She stammered.

Hop took an experimental step closer to her, lifting his arms up as Zamazenta turned its glare to him.

Hop swallowed his breath steadily.

"Yes, I did. I will always come for you." Hop kept his eyes on her as he inched closer, paying no mind to the beasts before him. Let Zamazenta rip his leg off, he didn't care. He had to be there for Gloria.

"_Always." _Hop said again as he made his way onto the steps. Zamazenta turned its gaze back to Zacian, who nodded solemnly.

The legendary beasts then lowered their stance.

Gloria kept her back to Hop, trying to hide her quivering lip.

"You always do come find me." She mustered out a wavering chuckle. The corner of Hop's lips twitched as he went to reach out to her, but Gloria jerked away. His expression fell.

Was she…crying?

"Gloria, what's wrong?" Hop asked gently. The sight of her like this broke his heart, he's never seen her so upset.

Gloria faltered. "What's wrong?" She asked dubiously, before turning back to Hop. He saw it clearly now. The tears on her cheeks. The puffiness in her eyes. The pain in her face.

"_What's wrong?"_ Gloria said again, sniffing. "What's wrong is that I don't want to hold you back from your dream!" Her fists were in balls beside her as she clenched her teeth.

Hop flinched.

"What…?" He stammered, inching forward. Something surged within him as he stepped closer, backing Gloria into the shrine so that she couldn't run away. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and despite the fact that she turned her face, he leaned in close.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" His voice cracked when he spoke, the pain clear in his eyes.

"Your life would be so much different if it weren't for me…" Gloria muttered as she looked away before turning to him, "And I know you know it, too. Because you battled me today."

He cupped her cheek, brushing a tear away with his thumb.

He shook his head, "You're not making any sense."

But Gloria nodded indefinitely.

"_I am!_ It hurts to know that I'm the reason for it all. So please, if you want the championship so badly, don't hold back because of me!"

She shut her eyes, cheeks flushed.

A heavy silence lingered over the weald as Hop looked at Gloria. Confusion and disbelief rooted deep within his gaze. Gloria couldn't look at him. She kept her gaze low as her heart throbbed rapidly within her chest. She said it. It was finally out there.

And now she had to face the consequences.

And yet…all Hop could do was tilt her chin up to look at him. She struggled to meet his face until he pulled her back in and it was then she was met with his eyes. His soft, caring eyes.

"Is that what all this was about? You thought I wanted the championship?" He asked.

Gloria looked defeated.

"It's all you ever wanted since you were just a kid," She repeated Leon's words, "And I'm the one who took that away from you."

When she spoke, he heard her voice waver once more. Hop pulled her closer to him as he placed his forehead against her own, sighing at their newfound closeness.

"You heard me and Leon in the kitchen." He stated. Gloria nodded against him, breathing in.

Hop then hesitated as he wrapped his arm around her.

"What else did you hear?" He asked.

"That's it…" Gloria murmured, "But it's all that I needed to hear."

Everything clicked for Hop at that moment. The emotions. The misunderstandings. How he blatantly made everything worse without even realizing it.

It was then he couldn't help himself. Hop started to laugh.

Gloria pulled away from him, frowning. _"Why are you laughing?!" _

But Hop only pulled her closer back into him. "No, no." He said between chuckles, "Nothing's funny about this, not at all. It's just all…so incredibly _misguided_."

He then looked into Gloria's eyes, his smile full of warmth. "Gloria, I can care less about the championship. I gave that all up when we were kids, _and that was my choice_. Not only because I found my calling, but because _you found yours as well_."

Hop tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "I see how happy it makes you, Gloria, and that makes me so happy. Don't you get it? Happier than any other title or profession, _you make me happy_."

And he couldn't help it, holding her like this, he kissed her lightly on the lips to seal that fact. Gloria reciprocated the feeling as they lingered in each other's hold, before she was the one to pull away.

"Then why did you challenge me today?" She asked. Hop sheepishly scratched his head.

"Well, you see…um…" He was stammering again with his words, and Gloria raised an eyebrow. Out of nowhere, Hop was struggling to speak or form any sort of syllable.

It was then Gloria took his hand.

"Hop, you can talk to me." And by the loving look in her eyes, everything within Hop melted. The anxiety behind proposing. The worry of finding the right moment. The absurdity of it all.

It all just melted away.

Hop smiled back at her, his chest swelling.

"It's because I planned to do this…" He began, reaching down into his pocket, his eyes not leaving hers. However, as his hand fumbled around, Hop's eyes sharply widened.

"Are you kidding me?!"He swore from underneath his breath as he felt around his pocket, breaking away from Gloria to dig deeper.

"Hop?" Gloria looked concerned.

"_Ah_ _bloody hell!" _Hop patted his pants and jacket all over, "It's not here!"

"What's not there?" She tried to get a better look at what Hop was searching for, but it was no use. Hop spun around like an idiot, before patting himself down one last time. It was then he looked up and saw the concern on Gloria's face.

He paused, before closing his eyes to pat his cheeks. He can do this. This was it.

"F-Forget it!" Hop said as he grabbed her hands in his, "…I don't need it!"

He pulled her closer to him. Before Gloria could even ask what he was doing, she gasped as Hop dropped down to one knee. Right before her.

A newfound passion in his eyes.

"I've been going bonkers trying to find the right way to do this. And trust me, I've been driving everyone else mad too about it. Lee, Sonia, all of them, they just wanted to help but now I regret getting everyone involved because of what it caused." Hop began, stuttering.

And yet, Gloria gripped his hand firmly.

"Now I know it's not about how I do it, as long as it's you and me, then that's all I care about."

"Hop…" Gloria began but he cut her off.

"Gloria," Hop looked her in right in the eyes, under the starlit trees, "Please, marry me. Be with me. I don't want you to just be my wife, I want to be your husband! You make me want to be a better person, and I want to be that person for you and you alone."

Hop's heart was racing as Gloria put her hand to her lips, tears swelling along her cheeks. If it wasn't for grip firm within his own, Hop could have sworn his hands were shaking.

"Hop…" She repeated again through shaky breaths as she knelt down beside him, a huge smile on her face. Her smile alone was enough to ease Hop's tensions as he cupped her cheek, kissing her once more.

"You mean it?" She pulled away from him with shaky breaths, blushing. Hop nodded fiercely.

"You're everything to me, Gloria. You're my home, and I want to be the home you come back to. Every day. Forever. Always." Now it was Hop's voice that shook. However, despite it all, he didn't seem to mind as he held Gloria close to him. Nothing mattered besides this moment. Besides her.

"Please, please say yes…" He pleaded once more as he kissed her lips again, savoring the feeling.

"Yes…" Gloria smiled against his lips as she kissed him. Hop pulled back to look at her in awe before she grabbed his cheeks again to pull him in for another searing kiss.

Tears fresh on her eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She cried as she kept kissing him, nearly tackling him to the ground. Hop caught them both as he steadied her, before finding her lips once more.

Every worry. Every misunderstanding. All of it was gone in this moment. Everything was as it should be…and neither of them knew it, but it was how it always was.

Perfect.

"I'm home." Gloria murmured against his lips, "We're home."

Hop smiled as he pulled her down to meet him in the soft grass. Under the brilliance of the ancient shrine.

"_We're home."_


	5. Chapter 5: And Everything In Between

"_I'd rather be friends with a girl than a meanie!"_

"_Having you here is enough."_

"_Maybe it won't be so bad if we got married when we are bigger."_

"_Please, marry me. Be with me. I don't want you to just be my wife, I want to be your husband!"_

"_Mummy, I'm walking Gloria home today!"_

"_You're my home, and I want to be the home you come back to. Every day."_

"_Pinky promise?"_

"_Forever."_

"_Promise!"_

"_Always."  
_

* * *

The pot of curry came and went as the two trainers happily devoured the meal before them. During the span of that time, Xatu maintained its gaze…entertaining not only the pokemon around it but Hop as well.

"Check this out, Gloria!" Hop laughed as he jumped from side to side, Xatu's eyes following him. "No matter where I go, it won't look away!"

"Maybe it's because you keep bouncing around like a little Spoink." Gloria chuckled, putting the last few belongings away in her knapsack. However, she did sneak another glance at the pokemon whose eyes continued to bore into her as well. The feeling was strange. Unnerving.

Different.

She tried to offer the pokemon a bite during their meal, but it seemed perfectly content just watching them. If it weren't for Scorbunny and the rest of the pokemon being so at ease with the mystical bird, Gloria would have suspected they were in danger.

But they weren't.

The Xatu just seemed…perfectly relaxed staring at her and Hop.

"Hey," Gloria began, catching up to Hop's side. "Do you think it's just going to follow-_Hop, what are you doing?!_"

Her jaw dropped as Hop readied a pokeball before them, leaning back in his "perfected" throwing stance with his eyes narrowed to aim.

"I'm going to catch it!" He declared, sticking his tongue out. "A psychic-type pokemon this early on would be a game changer! It'll wow the crowds for sure!"

Gloria could only snicker as she crossed her arms. This was going to be good.

Xatu continued to stare on as Hop took a few steps back, before ultimately throwing the pokeball right at it. However, just as the pokeball seemed to make contact, Xatu raised up one of its wings and with its psychic abilities…froze the capsule mid-air.

Before snapping it like a twig.

"Huh?!" Hop groaned, his chest falling forward in defeat, "No way!"

Gloria sighed before shaking her head, her hands on her hips.

"I could have told you much," She said, "We're way too inexperienced right now for a pokemon like that. Isn't that one of the many rules Lee taught us before we left Postwick?"

Hop pouted, before straightening up and readjusting his backpack. Grookey happily ran up to his side and scampered up his legs to his shoulders, cheerfully knocking a tiny branch on Hop's head to cheer him up. The boy could only grimace.

"I know but I thought it was comfortable enough to let its guard down…"

Gloria chuckled again as Scorbunny jumped in her arms, "You're right. It probably just saw how poorly you threw that pokeball and thought, _hmm better not_." Gloria teased, her Scorbunny snickering along.

Hop playfully shoved her shoulder in response.

"You just wait then, Gloria!" He laughed, "I'll train a pokemon ten times stronger than this one!"

Gloria happily nudged his shoulder back, "Great! That way I'll have a proper victory when I take you down!"

Meanwhile, Xatu maintained its focus as it waddled backwards to regain its view. In its movement, however, something unexpected occurred. A lift of its wings. A slight smile on its face.

"_Toot-toot," _It mewled in delight.

Wow," Gloria muttered, suddenly pulling her rotomdex out with intrigue, "I never saw a Xatu smile before!"

"Again…kind of creepy…" Hop scratched his head.

* * *

_Pokedex Entry: Xatu_

_They say that it stays still and quiet because it is seeing both the past and future at the same time. Legend says if a Xatu smiles its target will have a wonderful life in store._

* * *

Hop looked over Gloria's shoulder and the two smiled at the entry.

"Wicked!" They both said in unison, smiling at each other.

"So it looks like we have a lot to look forward to, huh?" Gloria said. Hop pumped his fists.

"You bet! I don't know about you Gloria, but I feel even more excited about this Gym Challenge!"

"Same here!"

And in that moment, a few snaps of twigs and a rustle of grass brought their attention back to Xatu…its back turned as it prepared itself for flight.

"Huh," Gloria said, "Looks like it saw enough for today, I guess."

Their eyes followed as the pokemon again mewled happily as it flew off to its next destination, fading away over the tree and into the lush landscape of the Wild Area. A wave of vertigo hit the pair as the pokemon's presence vanished from before them…bringing back a sense of reality to where they stood.

A pause lingered. Then, Hop cleared his throat.

"…I guess this is where we part ways too, huh mate?" Hop said. His tone wavered behind his usual smile, and Gloria could only do her best to uphold her own grin.

"For now." She said with a nod as she reached out her hand to his. "Don't get chased by too many Snorlax while I'm gone, okay?"

"Hey!" Hop laughed, shaking her hand. "You just watch me catch the biggest one yet!"

Their hands parted in that moment, their fingers falling from the touch softly and back to their side. Gloria looked down and felt a foreign heat rise to her cheeks, before digging in her bag to distract herself.

"Here…I packed this for you." She smiled, handing over a neatly wrapped bag. "It's leftovers from lunch and also, a little surprise!"

"Surprise, eh?" Hop grinned as he opened the bag, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

"_Choco biscuits!"_ He hurriedly pulled out the treats, causing Gloria to smile cheekily.

"Our favorite!" She said, laughing at the memory. With that, Hop snapped the cookie eagerly in half and offered a piece to Gloria.

"One for the road." He said.

Gloria took her piece and smiled, "One for the road."

And as the proper rivals they were, the two set off in opposite directions from the site where the Xatu once stood. This was it. Time to forge their own paths. Their own journeys. To train hard, and uphold a promise to become a rival worthy for one another.

Worthy of the visions that made a Xatu smile so.

And yet…a feeling of emptiness set in. The feeling of a cord stretching, tangling, drifting apart with each step away they took. Neither of the two trainers could remember a time without the other, and now, it was finally setting in that this was their new reality.

A new way of life.

"_Hey, Gloria!" _Hop's voice rang out to Gloria as she made her way across the field. Gloria perked up eagerly at the sound, and turned from over her way to see Hop waving in the distance.

"You better give it your all out there!" He called out, magnifying the sound of his voice with his hands, "It has to be you against me in the end_! It just has to be!_"

Gloria's heart swelled up, a smile forming along her lips.

"You bet, mate!" She shouted back, waving, "Keep your eyes open for me until then!"

Hop waved back as well, before turning to part.

"Don't blink, we'll be there before you know it!" He proclaimed, his voice ringing through the fields and echoing through the trees. And with that, he finally turned from her…eagerly running off to a new direction. A new path.

With her chest warm and full of hope, Gloria looked off at him before meeting Scorbunny's gaze with determination. Just like that, for the very first time, the world didn't seem so small. Just like a new chapter, something deep within the two of them that bloomed, there was a sense of beginning. A new start.

_For things always become clear. _

_In the reflection of the past. _

_In the anticipation of the future. _

_Life weaves itself together so seamlessly._

_All you have to do is keep your eyes open._

_And…_

_Don't Blink. _

_-End-_

* * *

All I can say is I am so happy everyone enjoyed this story and gave so many wonderful comments! This is the first time I finished a chapter fic in a while so I'm proud of myself on this one ^_^ The Postwickshipping community is amazing and I couldn't have finished this without all of you! Be on the lookout for more postwickshipping fics in the future, but until next time, thanks for reading!

Also, big shoutout to Microsoft David for reading all my chapters back to me in his computer voice. He's the real MVP! (thumbs up)


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